A Doe in Winter
by WinterRose527
Summary: Modern AU/Canon divergence. The War of the Five Kings is over, the story of which will develop over time. Robb runs into Myrcella after years apart and reunites her quickly with his siblings. Major focus on Robb any Myrcella, but with a Jon and Sansa storyline as well. Smut to follow...All characters and places belong to the brilliant mind of George RR Martin
1. Chapter 1

Myrcella Baratheon sat in the upscale bar of the Wintertown Hotel, finishing what had to be the best vanilla latte in the city. Most people came here for the celebrity sightings (it was a favorite of both Margyrey Tyrell and Ilyn Dane) or the incredible cocktails (Wildfire was a favorite of the downtown set) but not Myrcella. Of course, it helped that she was the only person who the bartender Barristan Selmy would make this for.

She set her mug down on the counter and slid out of her bar seat in one graceful motion. As she pulled on her trench coat she reached in her handbag for some money before she was interrupted by a rumbling voice, "You know your money's no good here, little doe."

"It's not fair if you never let me pay, Barristan"

"Well I'm the one who makes the lattes, I don't have to be fair."

She smirks at that, "Well then you'll have payment in full in the form of brownies the next time I come in."

The old man smiles. He'd never had children or grandchildren, but the little doe warmed his heart as if she were blood of his blood.

She waved goodbye at him before making for the door. She was almost there when a man a little older than her grabbed her arm gently and swung her around. Myrcella jumps back, skittish and nothing like the graceful girl who had glided across the lobby.

"Woah, Myrcella, woah" a deep Northern voice says.

Finding her strength and with recognition in her eyes she says seethingly, "I'm not a horse, Robb," but there is a smile hiding in her words.

The boy wants to tease her _Well you sure spook like one_ but instead smiles and say, "No … I'm just sorry that I frightened you. I just couldn't believe it when I saw you it's been so…" but he can't finish his sentence. It had been years since he'd seen the beautiful blonde in front of him. She had only been a girl the last time, all green eyes, blonde curls and long limbs. She had always been sweet and graceful and quick of mind. And so incredibly innocent, but then, they all were.

She looks around awkwardly, unable to meet his gaze. Polite as ever she says, "It was lovely to run into you Robb, but I've got to get back to the gallery. Tell Sansa I said hello!"

And with that she walks out of the bar without a glance back in his direction. He knows this because he doesn't turn away until she's disappeared.

Barristan has seen he whole thing, he's used to men taking notice of Myrcella. Whether she comes in to read in the morning, dressed in oversized wools, or whether she comes in after work, beautiful and polished, she always turns men's heads. The man, more a boy really, comes to the bar and orders a pint.

"Excuse me, Sir, do you happen to know that girl?"

"I do…it seems you do as well."

"Aye, but she was a half a foot shorter the last time I saw her. She mentioned a gallery… she always did love pictures… do you know which one?"

"Listen, boy. That girl is the sweetest thing in this world and she's had more trouble than most of it too. I won't be sending more her way."

"I wouldn't wish more trouble on that girl if my life depended on it. You may not know me, but I'd wager you'd know who my father was, and he was her father's best friend. They are both gone now, at least let me do right by them and make sure that she is safe and happy."

Barristan eyed the boy. He was wrong about one thing, he knew _exactly_ who he was. The young wolf. Robb Stark. But he was right, he had known his father, a good and honest man who would have raised his son right.

"She works at Mereen Gallery, it's around the corner on Hightower Lane."

"Thank you." He throws money on the table and leaves, his untouched pint resting on the counter.

Robb wants to go there immediately but he doesn't. Instead he gets in his car and drives to his office. Once inside, he looks up the Mereen Gallery and sees that they are having an opening the next night.

Myrcella gets back to the gallery still shaking from her encounter. She felt so foolish being so shaken even after all of these years. She felt especially so being so weak in front of Robb. Robb who had always been kind to her. Who had always been gentle with his sisters, Sansa and Arya (even if Arya tested him). Who she hadn't seen in so long but had thought of so frequently during their time apart. It would have been impossible not to, with everything that happened.

Thankfully when she walked into the gallery it was in utter disarray. Workmen were hastly drilling holes and touching up paint, hanging the 40 works throughout the winding gallery.

"Okay, gentlemen. Here is how this is going to go."

They all turned to look at her, ready to follow her every instruction. Myrcella smiled. She was always good during a crisis, it was afterwards that was the problem.

The following night Robb paid way too much attention to his appearance. It was something he hadn't done in some time, it hadn't seemed important. But now, his beard was freshly trimmed, and he was wearing a bespoke dark gray suit, his steel cufflinks in the shape of wolves. Despite the fact that his father had left him a great deal of money, and the family business he ran had become an international success, Robb was always more comfortable in simple clothing. Thankfully his sister Sansa didn't share this feeling and had forced him on a shopping spree before his last business trip to the Vale.

Robb pulled up outside the gallery to find it overflowing with people, young and old. He smirked to himself when he saw the sea of black clothing outfitting the downtown set, his cousin Jon would have fit right in. Champagne and craft beer is being passed on trays, Robb grabs himself a bottle of The Crow. Taking a sip, his eyes scan the crowd, barely noticing the oversized abstract canvases adorning the walls. As he walks into the second room he finally sees her.

This girl could stand out anywhere he thought to himself. While everyone around them was dressed in dark, complicated clothing, Myrcella was wearing a simple sleeveless light pink dress. It hugged her curves but was not too tight like so many things he saw his sisters wearing these days. While every other girl in here had contoured her face (he seriously had to stop hanging out with Sansa) and gone heavy on the eyeliner, Myrcella was apparently barefaced, her loose blonde curls and pink cheeks the same as when she was a child.

This time he approached her cautiously, as she finishes up a conversation with an older gentleman. "Myrcella?"

She turns to him smiling this time, "Robb! I'm so pleased you could make it."

"Barristan told me where you worked, I hope this is alright."

"I'm impressed you got by him," she giggles, "he can be a piece of work."

He looks at her earnestly, "He isn't so bad, he just loves you."

She isn't sure if she blushes at his words or his gaze, it takes a lot to melt the icy blue of his eyes. Ever the lady she takes his arm and starts escorting him around the show.

"So, what do you think?"

"This is incredible, Myrcella. Is this your gallery?"

"No it's my friend Jeyne's , but her mother is sick so she's gone home for the rest of summer to take care of her. I'm manning the gallery in her absence."

He gestures to the people spilling out of every corner, "Well I think you are doing a pretty good job."

She blushes again, the prettiest sight he had seen in a long while. "It's the first exhibition that I've planned, how do you like the pieces?"

Robb looks around at the art for the first time, a myriad of colors splashed in every direction, he grimaces as he tries to find something clever to say and finally lands on, "I don't think I'm smart enough for them."

She giggles and says "Nonsense. These are just too colorful for you." She takes his arm again, "Here, let me show you one that I know you'll like."

She takes him back through several other rooms before she comes to one that is semi-enclosed. Unlike the other rooms the walls are painted a blue so dark it is almost black. Where the other rooms had multiple canvases on each wall, this one had one in the entire room. It was a dance of browns and greys and blacks and blues, whirling together in a seemingly vicious storm, somehow both erratic and precise.

"I…this is…"

She smiles gently. "It's called _a warrior's heart_. I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it. I asked the artist what he thought about when he painted and he told me a story. Would you like to hear it?"

Robb looked at her and nodded eagerly.

" _Once, during the War of the Five I was separated from my group after the Battle of the Green. I came through a clearing to the stream, desperate to get the blood of the other men off me. There I found a boy. He was a boy who sat in a man's chair and had a man's worry. He was a boy who loved his parents, and his siblings, and his home. A boy who valued peace so much, that only honor could drive him away from it. And even though I was only a boy myself, I mourned for him, and I pray for him still, the boy who had grown old too young."_

When Myrcella finished her story there were tears in her eyes. Robb's voice was gruff when he asked, "Who is the artist?"

"Gendry Waters."

When she said the name, saw the recognition in his face, even the slight smirk that arrived, she knew that she had been right all along. She could see the storm from the canvas in his eyes.

"I'll take it" he said, to her surprise.

She clapped her hands, the tears forgotten, "Oh Robb, really? It's my first sale. I'm so happy you'll have it!" and before she can think better of it she stands on her tip toes to kiss his cheek.

This time it is he that blushes. He goes to say something else to her, but before he can, a young leggy brunette comes over to her and says "Marcie, there's someone up front asking about the import tax and I never know what to say."

Myrcella smiles and rolls her eyes fondly, "Oh Ly, I'll be up there in a minute."

She turns to make her apologies to Robb but he says, "Go, go. I'll find you later." Then he smirks, "I promise I'm good for the money, Ellie." She grins at the nickname he had chosen for her as a child.

She looks him in the eye then looks meaningfully at the painting, then back at him, "You're good for a great many things, Lupe. You always were." And with that she squeezes his wrist gently and walks away.

He realizes afterwards that he probably should have asked how much the painting cost but it didn't matter. He could and would pay anything for it. He couldn't believe that Gendry had remembered their conversation after all those years and that he had somehow found his way to Ellie after all. He wondered if she knew yet how connected they truly were, something told him she didn't.

He made his way back through the gallery, trying to look at the other paintings, smiling and shaking hands when he saw people he knew from work, or from the war. But all the while he watched her.

She was good, so good in fact, that he bet that nobody else saw how she always approached them, always laid a hand on theirs, always slightly invaded their space. To anyone else she was just a gracious, engaged, beauty full of life and warmth. But Robb had seen Sansa play the same game, had seen her more comfortable with Grey Wind and Ghost than she ever was with him and Jon. Had had to carry her out of nightclubs when she had gotten drunk just to see if she would still be afraid. He knew what Myrcella was doing, because she was still living with the same scars as Sansa, she had even received them from the same monster.

Myrcella mingled happily amongst her guests, but every so often her eyes would go back to the beautiful sad boy in the grey suit. He was always close by, without ever crowding her, and she smiled as she remembered his wolf acting as her shadow years before.

Once she had made her rounds, she went to find him again. He was standing in front of a small canvas, the smallest in the whole exhibition. Unlike the others, Robb did not think it was abstract, but all the same he couldn't quite figure out what it was."

"I'll have to tell Gendry that he has an admirer."

He smiles at her, "I have to admit I do find his work intriguing."

"That one is my favorite, it is so bare but so incredibly full."

Robb looks at her with a puzzled expression, "I think you're making me smarter, Ellie."

He expects her to giggle, was hoping for it really. Instead she keeps her eyes on the drawing and shakes her head, "I'm just well educated in things of little consequence. You're wise about the things that count."

He looks at her and sees how shamed she is by this truth that she thinks she knows. "That's not true Ellie. You are as clever as you are pretty. You just are doing what we all should be now, you are focusing on the things that make you happy. I'd happily be less educated in things of consequence as you call them."

"I hate to say it, Lupe, but you've earned your degree." She says then to lighten the mood she had created.

His mouth crinkles up in the half smile she saw so often as a girl. "Yes, yes, I'm graduating with honors, it's no big deal."

He finally gets his giggle and he has to fight the urge not to brush the hair from her eyes. But Robb watched Sansa through her recovery, and even now he knows not to approach her from behind. So he leaves his hands at his sides.

"Ellie… would you like to come to Winterfell this weekend? I know everyone would love to see you."

Myrcella gives him a look that insinuates _everyone?_ "Oh come on, it'll just be me, Sansa, Bran and Jon."

She bides her time, "I thought you would live in the city…didn't I see some article about your new penthouse downtown?"

It's his time to roll his eyes…why did he ever let his uncle Edmure talk him into that interview?

"Yes, I have a place in the city, but we all decided to keep Winterfell after… we uh… go there on weekends and holidays. It's home." He meets her eyes on the last word and sees in her the longing he had so often felt in himself.

"Absolutely…I'd love that Robb."

He smiles and before she can change her mind he takes her hand slowly, letting her watch his intentions so that she isn't frightened and squeezes her palm gently. He can feel the tense muscles relax under his touch and his jaw twitches.

"I'll pick you up from here on Friday evening, we'll return Sunday."

Before she can ask _you meant the whole weekend?_

He is walking out the door, only turning once to say "Remember to bring a coat, after all, winter is coming." And walks out, her laughter ringing behind.


	2. Chapter 2

The rest of the week flies by in a blur for Myrcella. The opening had been a smash success and she had already sold 90% of the works. Her days were filled with shipping arrangements, paperwork, and many calls from Jeyne who kept insisting that Myrcella should keep the entire commission. Before she knew it, it was Thursday evening and she was in her townhouse packing for Winterfell. As she loaded cozy sweaters, lots of socks, and her winter boots, she tried not to think about the last time she had packed for a trip to the great Northern estate.

She still had a day in the gallery to get through, so she stopped on her way in at the Wintertown Hotel. Barristan laughed as she walked in, somehow dragging her suitcase, her handbag over her shoulder, all while holding a plate of her famous brownies (seriously, famous… they had been written up in Westoros Daily after her friend Loras named them 'his ultimate comfort food').

"Oh little doe, you didn't need to do that."

She smiled and says "But I did it anyway…I've got to make sure you don't waste away on kale and a turkey breast."

He fake scowls at her and says, "How do you think I still have the strength and agility of a man half my age?"

She pretends to think about it and says, "The brownies, probably."

He smirks at her before handing her a latte to go.

"Off somewhere this weekend?"

She can't meet his gaze. "To Winterfell actually."

"So Robb found you then, didn't he? Myrcella – "

"No… Robb is … a friend…he's Sansa's brother…. and he showed a lot of character extending any sort of kindness to me after everything. Don't you think I should try to do the same, or at the very least, be worthy of his kindness?"

"All I was going to say little doe, is that I think it would have made your father happy to see you visiting Winterfell again."

She feels tears threaten her eyes but she gives him her winning smile before she turns to leave.

"And Myrcella, you are worthy of every kindness – anytime you forget that you come and see me."

Myrcella sighs, _my sweet old knight_ and walks out of the lobby with her head held high.

In contrast, Robb's week seems to drag on and on in a steady rotation of business meetings and calls. His only respite is meeting Jon at the gym midweek for a sparring session. They don't use swords anymore, they only box, but even still it is the only thing that seems to clear his mind.

"Hey man," Jon says as they are getting dressed in the locker room, "I have to head back to Winterfell tonight, Mormont needs me. Want me to take Grey Wind? I bet he's as miserable as you are this week."

Robb smirks, leave it to Jon to offer a kindness and an insult in the same sentence, as only a brother…er a cousin can. "Yeah man, that'd be great actually. He's been chomping at the bit to go running, I was only able to take him on the trails twice this week. He'll be happier with you and Ghost and…" with that he trails off.

"And you aren't sure how your little Ellie will react to being in your Range Rover with him for four hours?"

"No man…it's not that…they always loved each other. He used to guard her door at night because he didn't trust the men in her father's employ. I was going to say…it'll be good for Sansa."

Even after all of these years, Jon can still see the guilt wash over Robb's face when he says her name. You'd never know it when they are together, so adamant is Robb that she will never be in pain again, that he won't ever bring his own pain to her. Jon knew the feeling – it took him weeks before he was able to look Sansa in the eyes again. They were the two men who were supposed to protect her and they had both failed in that charge. They each had their own ways of making it up to her now, and Jon agreed that Sansa would be happier with both wolves at her side.

Finally Friday came. It somehow was even more of a shitstorm than the whole week put together, so he found himself on a conference call as he pulled up in front of the Mereen Gallery at 6 like they'd agreed. He finds an opening and tells them that he'll call them back. As he gets out of his seat he only hopes that they don't cause a war in the meantime.

Robb walks into the gallery, annoyed that he's nervous and sees her leaning over the desk getting some papers together. Once again, she is dressed as a lady, in cream wool high waisted pants and a slightly darker cream fuzzy turtleneck. Her hair falls loosely over her shoulders and he sees diamond studs poking through. Even still, at the sight of her taut backside leaning over the desk, he has to remind himself to breath properly.

He clears his throat, "Hi Myr…hi Ellie."

"Lupe!" she exclaims, as if it were a surprise he was hear rather than the fulfillment of a plan. "I'm ready I just need to grab my things and lock up."

As she went into a backroom to grab her things, Robb was awed at how much empty space was on the walls. The gallery felt enormous without the large canvases and all of the people.

"Were you robbed?" he asks as she comes out dragging a suitcase, a warm navy blue wool coat hooked over her arm.

She looks around, "I know it's crazy right? A few people agreed to pay well above asking price if they could take the works with them then and there. I'd be a fool not to let them."

"You would indeed. Have you sold everything?"

"As of today, yes. I purchased the last one myself this afternoon."

"That's great, you can add to your collection… didn't I read you inherited a number of pieces?"

Myrcella shifts nervously. Any mention of inheritance between the two of them is enough to make things awkward, but she glosses over it. "I was lucky enough to, yes, but I bought this for someone else…the person who is truly meant to have it."

Robb looked at her with a bemused expression. It seemed that she wanted to say more but he could tell she wouldn't.

He grabs her suitcase handle and starts to drag it across the floor, "Ready to go?", she follows him without a word.

When they get outside she whistles at his car. He blushes, "Yeah…I er got it after a certain deal went through as a present to myself."

"Remind me to put myself on your Lunarmas list this year."

He laughs as he opens his trunk, and lifts her suitcase into it. He pretends to buckle under the weight of it, earning that giggle of hers.

He then comes around and opens her door for her and once she's settled closes it gently. Her stomach constricts in an unfamiliar way but she focuses on settling in. The car is perfect for him, she thinks, it is big and beautiful and strong, just like him.

He gets in and once he's buckled, her turns to her with a grimace. "I'm so sorry, but this day has been a mad one and I've got to take a few more calls on the road up. Do you mind terribly if I put it on speaker?"

She smiles and rolls her eyes before taking out a spool of yarn and her needles. "Not at all, this will keep me occupied, do whatever you need to."

She starts moving her fingers deftly, falling into the easy rhythm that had soothed her ever since she was a girl. She sees him hesitate to dial and says, "I promise I'm not a spy."

He let's out a surprised laugh that is higher pitched than his normal deep rumble which makes her giggle in return. "No it's just…I've got to gather my strength for this one."

He dials the number and pulls away from the curb. Myrcella settles back in her seat, letting her mind relax as she focuses on her work _knit purl knit purl_. At first she doesn't bother listening to his call. She knows that it is unavoidable but she doesn't want to intrude on his business. But then she hears him grow increasingly frustrated. Not wanting to alert him she keeps her eyes focused on her needles but listens more acutely.

There are two other men on the phone, and Robb has spent the better part of 30 minutes trying to stop one from interrupting the other. She sees how his hand clenches the steering well. How he opens and closes his mouth multiple times as if he wants to speak. Before she can think better of it, she hits the mute button so that her voice can't be heard.

Robb turns to her, "I'm sorry – I know this must be torture for you."

The two men continue to argue in the background, seemingly unaware that the third is no longer engaged.

She smiles, "More so for you, I'd wager. I just…"

"What… by the gods I've heard everyone else's opinion at this point."

"Well that's just it… a good leader listens to the opinions of others who are more well-informed than his own, he let's these opinions guide his actions. However, these opinions are not those opinions. I think we both know that this conversation could have been resolved 15 minutes ago if they guy with the squeaky voice agreed to waive his introductory commission so that the guy who keeps saying 'now, now' can go to the buyer's with a more competitive offer."

Robb looks at her stunned, for a moment, before turning his eyes back to the road. He hesitates before pressing mute again, looking her over skeptically once more, then cuts back into the call.

"Excuse me gentleman, I'm going to have to cut you off. We are all working towards the same goal here, we agree that the Second Sons are the best buyers, but we've also got to do what's right for the company. Rollin, you've got to waive your IC here, it's the only way to keep the profit margin in the green and Serwyn, remember that you work for me not the buyers. We'll do 50 flat, 45 if they pay by the end of the month."

"Yes sir." "Of course Mr. Stark."

Without a word he hangs up the call and lets out a huge sigh of relief. Myrcella smiles into her knitting as he mumbles something about putting her on his advisory board.

After an hour or so has passed, she puts her knitting down and gazes out the window. Even an hour out of the city the landscape has changed entirely, and Myrcella sees snowflakes dancing outside the car as they speed down the highway. It is the first time she has been North since the war and she is surprised by how normal it looks. The South is still desolate….wasteland in between estates, thieves on ever corner. But the North is solid as ever.

She remembers hearing stories of gangs and rapists prowling the streets. How you would sooner run a red light than risk stopping at one. But that had all gone away when the Starks returned to Winterfell. Almost as if by them reclaiming their birthright, the North remembered who it was. She smiles to herself as she leans her cheek against the window glass, relishing the cool.

Robb doesn't say much to her. He isn't much of a talker anyway and Myrcella seems so content, he doesn't want to ruin it by saying something foolish. So they settle into a warm, companionable silence.

After another hour or so, Myrcella realizes how relaxed she is. She has always liked being driven, but was never allowed to sit in the front seat as a girl (ladies never do). She liked Robb's surety behind the wheel, it reminded her of when her Uncle Jamie put her in his lap and let her steer as a child.

Dazed she hardly notices the moose in the road until Robb slams steadily on the breaks, his arm jutting in front of her so quickly she doesn't have time to think about the fact that she doesn't recoil from it. The moose looks at them, tilting his head this way and that before meandering off the road.

"Ellie…Ellie I'm so sorry are you okay? It came out of nowhere!"

She squeezes his hand, "I'm fine…I promise." She lets her index finger press gently to the inside of his wrist. "I can't believe you saw it all in this darkness."

He smiles and says, "You southerners, even after all these years, you still don't know real darkness."

She laughs at that, it's the first time her birthplace, and all it's indications doesn't feel like a shadow over their time together. It just is.

After that, they chat amiably on the last leg of the trip. She tells him about her Valyrian lessons, he talks about the repairs he's made to Winterfell.

"Robb…" "Yes, Ellie?" "Bran…"

"You don't have to –" "Yes I do. He's lost so much and I've got to be a reminder for that."

Robb smiles and shakes his head, "Bran doesn't think like that. There is so much that happened to him that I can't explain. But he's content, he found a path that brings him happiness."

"You sound envious…"

"I am…in a way. As you said he's lost so much, but he never lost his gentleness or his righteousness. He's just…Bran."

"You're doing just fine, Lupe." She says and he smiles.

"And Jon?" "Jon? What about him?"

"Well I never knew him really…before…I wasn't allowed to…" she looks down in shame.

"Aye, trust me, you weren't the only one forbidden from speaking to the bastard of Winterfell. But Jon isn't the same boy he was when you were there…in some ways he is…he is still good and fierce and loyal. But learning…everything… he's more confident in himself and his place than he ever was. And we've talked about you…he knows you're coming, they all do."

She knew that he would have told them all, Jon, Bran and Sansa (the other two noticeably missing) and she knew it was better that way. Better that she isn't a shock. But even still she finds herself coiled in knots the rest of the way.


	3. Chapter 3

Even now, there isn't a word for the feeling Robb feels every time he pulls through the gates of Winterfell. He smiles as he's seen the progress that has been made to rebuilding the south tower and pulls over easily into his spot. He gets out of the car and comes around to let Myrcella out. Tentatively, he offers her his hand, and gratefully she takes it.

As she steps out she is a hit with a pang of nostalgia. It had been a different hand that helped her out last time, and a different world that she stepped into, but it was the same Winterfell. The same towers, slightly in disrepair now, and she knows that if she turns left at the east gate she'll find her way to the Weirwoods. As she looks around she hasn't noticed that three people and three wolves each have come out of the castle's doors.

"Hey guys!" Robb says, and it is the most carefree she has heard him sound.

Grey Wind looks anxiously at Sansa and as she nods her approval he races to Robb, nearly tackling him and smothering his face. "Grey Wind! Grey Wind heel! I missed you too boy. There's someone I think you may remember…"

As if the wolf had understood him, he turns his yellow eyes on Myrcella. One would not imagine that this is the same beast who had nearly tackled Robb a moment ago as he approaches her slowly. As she had as a little girl she reached her hand out and smiled as the wolf nuzzled against it. A deep woodsy sound emanated from him as she scratched behind his ears as she used to.

The approval of Grey Wind seems enough for Ghost and Summer and soon she has three wolves fighting for her attention. She giggles as Summer licks her cheek and looks up to find Robb and his siblings laughing along with her.

Before she has time to register it, she is surrounded by a haze of red as Sansa engulfs her in a hug. "Ellie! Oh how I've missed you! I'm so glad you are here."

Without a moment's hesitation she wraps her arms around her tall beautiful friend, who still smells like lavender shampoo and lemon drops after all of these years. She meets Robbs gaze over her friends shoulder and sees that he is looking at them intently, and if she didn't know better she would swear there were tears in his eyes.

Bran is next, even now she wasn't prepared to see him in a wheel chair. But he just rolls over to her and she offers him her hand to shake. He kisses the back gently instead and says, "It's been so long since you've been back to us. Don't let it take so long again." She smiles, as it is not the reproach she had expected, but she says "I'm sorry," all the same, and they both know that it is not her absence she is apologizing for.

Next is Jon. He has grown since the last time she saw him, he is broad shouldered and trim, broody as ever. She smiles at him shyly, and he appraises her. He knows that she was innocent in the years past, even a victim, but she is still who she is. But he looks at his siblings, Sansa who is smiling adoringly, Bran, who is smiling contentedly and Robb, who is smiling nervously and he looks at the wolves, Grey Wind who has curled up at her feet, Summer who nudges against her hand even now for affection, and Ghost who has somehow got behind him and pushed his back with nose. It seems the odds are against him holding a grudge, and he doesn't fight battles that he know he can't win. So instead he looks at her and says kindly, "Welcome Myrcella, we're pleased to have you in our home again."

With that, Sansa takes her by the arm and ushers her into the warm halls, three dire wolves trailing behind the two beauties.

"They stole our wolves" Jon says incredulously which makes Robb and Bran laugh. He and Robb each grab a suitcase and follow the motley crew into their home.

Hours later Myrcella finds herself locked in a battle of wills.

"I said no"

"Come on…"

"No San! I am not wearing this with just a bra underneath!"

The redheaded beauty rolls her eyes and mutters "Impossible" before throwing a pair of heeled booties at her. "At least wear these…my god I thought Southerners were all about showing off skin."

Myrcella smirks as she pulls on the booties "I think you're showing enough skin for the both of us"

Sansa poses in the mirror and says "Thank you," ignoring her innocent blonde friend.

Sansa Stark is dressed to the nines. Wearing an ice blue bandage dress with a plunging neckline, silver heels, her waterfalls of red hair pulled up into a messy bun, and her lips painted into a perfect pout she is utterly stunning.

Myrcella is wearing black booties, sheer black tights, a black leather mini skirt that is miles shorter than she usually wears though still miles longer than Sansa's dress along with a cream colored sheer blouse with a black tie at the collar. Underneath she wears a cream camisole. The presence of which they had been arguing about for the past ten minutes. She decided to appease her friend, coming up behind her and nuzzling her ear, "I'll let you use kohl eyeliner on me."

At this her friend clapped her hands and set "Sit sit sit" always bossy. Myrcella sat on the edge of her bed, Grey Wind collapsing at her feet and Summer placing his head in her lap. Sansa dug into her curiously large make up bag (she was the most beautiful girl in the north without a touch of make up, Myrcella thought to herself, what does she even do with all of it?) and pulled out the dark kohl liner.

To pass the time while Sansa carefully applied the kohl, Myrcella stroked Summer's head confident that she had made a new friend.

It was odd, the last time she had been here Grey Wind had followed her around, escorting her through the castle and guarding her at night. Summer, so much smaller then had always been sweet but disinterested. This made her pause quizzically, which Sansa immediately noticed.

"He's different right? More attentive now."

"Is he with you as well?," Myrcella asked.

"Yes, has been ever since I got back. I asked Bran about it once and he smiled and said 'Summer has adopted a fondness for cripples, bastards and broken things. As if that explained everything."

"Doesn't it?" Myrcella asks quietly. "Yes," Sansa affirms.

Not wanting to let the darkness settle, Myrcella asks, "How do I look, daaahling?"

"A mastrapiece a mastrapiece to be sure!" Sansa returns giggling, quoting a dancing instructor they had had in the capital years before.

Myrcella extricates herself from the wolves gently and goes over the mirror. She had been worried that Sansa would overdo it but she needn't have. She had used the kohl to outline her eyes, shading towards the end. Rather than focus on the liner though, all you could focus on was the brightness of her green eyes, radiating heat from within.

Sansa and she met eyes, and she wondered how she had gone so long without seeing her friend. She had been ashamed and afraid of what it would be like to see her. She hadn't expected that even now that they were safe, they could still draw the same strength from one another. She hadn't realized how much she had missed it until she felt that strength once again.

She turned to grab her clutch, getting her ID and money, and her cell phone, the things she would never leave the house without in Wintertown.

"Oh you don't need any of that…"

"But…"

"Ellie…we own the club and there isn't a soul in there who would hurt us."

"You mean you."

"No I mean us. You know the North, these people would follow my family to the ends of the earth, many of them have. You'll find that most of them would sooner hurt themselves than lay a finger on you. Whatever has happened in the past, you are under our protection. There isn't a safer place in the world…unless of course, Jon convinces you to take a shot from the Summer Isles."

Myrcella is warmed by her words and giggles at the end, "That bad?"

"I couldn't eat for two days. You've. Been. Warned."

With that the two girls walk out of Sansa's bedroom and go to find her brothers and cousin downstairs. The wolves trail predictably behind.

Even though one of them is their sister and the other is a girl they knew when she wore pigtails, there is something that puts the three men on edge when they see the girls before them, their own direwolves lending them a certain menacing quality. That is of course until Summer waltzes over to Bran and sits down on his haunches, his tongue hanging halfway out of his mouth as he begs for a bite of pork.

Robb clears his throat. Usually his first thought would be to scold Sansa for what she is wearing, but he finds he is at a lost for words looking at Myrcella. She has always dressed so primly, that even this touch of leather and bit of make up is enough to make his eyes threaten to pop out of their sockets.

She smiles at the boys, Bran and Robb in their dark jeans and crisp shirts, Jon all in black and says, "You all clean up nicely!"

Robb stutters and so it is left to Bran to say, "As do you."

Robb is hoping that Jon can talk some sense into Sansa, at least make her change her shoes, but when he looks over to plead with him, he finds Jon just as speechless. However, Robb knows that it isn't the blonde he is looking at. _By the gods…it's going to be a long night._

Desperate to move along he grabs Myrcellas coat and holds it open for her. She eases herself into it and looks at him over her shoulder, offering him a smile that finds its home somewhere down in his ribs.

"Shall we?" he says to the larger group, "Aye!" they all shout and pile into his car.


	4. Chapter 4

The building looks ancient from the outside, knowing where she was, Myrcella knew that it probably was. As Robb pulls into a private Stark parking spot, the group shuffles out (Jon had helped Bran into his chair so quickly, Myrcella had hardly noticed). Myrcella can hear music threatening to shatter the very marble of the building and saw the line of 20 somethings snaked all the way around the corner. She smiles giddily to herself. It had been ages since she had been out like this, and even longer since she had been out in a group, especially one as comforting as this.

As she goes to walk in a door, Robb comes to her gently and puts his hand to the small of her back. Without thinking she jumps and then curses herself internally.

"I'm sorry!" they both say at once.

"No-" she starts but Robb just offers his arm, "This way, Ellie."

She takes it, grateful for his kindness but knowing she had hurt him. She squeezes his forearm gently in apology and he gives her his crooked smile as he leads her, past the line, into the cavernous club.

"Seven hells!" Myrcella gasps.

Robb chuckles. "Not what you'd expect from the great grey wasteland?"

"Not what I'd expect from anywhere!"

The club must be three stories at least. Twinkly lights hang from different ceilings, and winter roses bloom in glassed enclosures. There must be at least 8 bars, with different alcoves where people are sitting and drinking. And then there is a stage with a dj and a dancefloor that is packed to the gills with writhing bodies.

Sansa grabs her hand and leads her to an alcove with a good view of the stage. Myrcella smiles to herself as she notices that once inside, though completely open, the sounds from the club fade away. This must be the old sept, she thought, they had turned the praying alcoves into lounges.

She meets Robb's gaze and finds that he is looking at her carefully. After all, she was raised in the religion of the seven. She smiles at him and says "Irreverent, and utterly perfect."

Interrupting their smile, Jon bangs on the table, more animated than she had seen him before and starts pointing around the table at each member of their group "drinks, drinks drinks, drinks" he says with each point. "Aye!" they all say and just in time a waiter appears.

"Hi Warren – Bran and I will each have a Crow, Sansa will have a lemon drop gimlet" he says and makes a show of grimacing which earns him a playful punch from Sansa, "Robb will have a whiskey, neat and Myrcella…." He says and narrows his eyes at her, "how about a nice shot from the Summer Isles Myrcella?"

"I will if you will, Jon." Even Warren looks surprised, but Sansa bites the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing.

"Um…Ellie…you might want something a little…less…" Robb starts but she cuts him of, "The two shots will be great for my friend Jon and I, and I'll also have a Gin martini to sip while he licks his wounds."

At that Warren laughs and shakes his head as he walks away to fill their order. He returns quickly with the drinks and the Starks look vaguely worried as Jon laughs, "You have no idea what you're in for princess."

It could have been said with malice, but it wasn't. So instead she picks up a shot and hands it to him before taking one for herself and raises it to him, "Then here's to an education." He smiles and clinks it against hers before they both pour the liquid down their throats.

Jon visibly shudders as he tastes the liquid, but Myrcella simply finishes and turns to Sansa to say "Ooh your drink is so pretty! You always did love lemon."

The three Starks and Jon look at her in awe. Relishing the opportunity she turns to them innocently and says, "Oh…had I not mentioned that I used to spend a month every summer in the Summer Isles? I use that stuff in a great salad dressing – you'll have to try it!"

With that Sansa cackles, Bran let's loose and even Jon laughs at himself. Only Robb continues to look at her in awe.

"Well," Jon says as he finishes his beer, "I'll see you all after."

He leaves to a chorus of "Good lucks!"

And Myrcella turns to Robb and says, "After what?"

Robb looks above her head and says "I think you're about to find out" and gestures behind her. She finds Sansa standing up, having abandoned her drink and is holding out her hand to the other girl. Myrcella takes it without knowing what to expect, and gives Robb a last puzzled look as Sansa leads her through the crowd.

They don't stop until they are right in front of the stage, and only when the house lights come on does Myrcella realized that the dj booth has been replace by live equipment. Four people come onto the stage and amidst the screams from the crowds, Myrcella realizes that Jon is one of them. She turns to see Sansa screaming her head off as the band picks up their equipment, Jon at the lead singers microphone.

"Hey Winterfell… we are The Others" and with that the music starts to play.

Myrcella hadn't had long enough to imagine anything but even if she had she would never have predicted this. The music is angry and violent and primal. At the first chord the crowd goes wild. But Jons voice, though tortured, is soft and vulnerable. The blending of the two causes a sensation that hits Myrcella right in her gut.

Without realizing, she had started dancing, it was impossible not to dance to this music. It was fierce but lively and Myrcella let it move her body without thought. Closing her eyes and swaying her hips, she let the sounds wash over her. She opens her eyes to see Sansa in a similar trance like state, and the two girls smile at each other and dance together, never touching, but with an invisible string tethering them.

Sansa is a known beauty in all of Westoros but especially in the North. With her tight dress and waterfall of hair she is peaking the interest of every male, and most of the women in here. Myrcella, the daughter of a famous beauty, but with a beauty all her own is tantalizing in her own way. The innocence that seems to radiate from within proves an intoxicating mixture when coupled with Sansa's ferociousness. The she-wolf and the doe prove such a mesmerizing pair, that even though the entire club wants to, no one comes close enough to touch either of them.

Myrcella looks around and sees that the crowd has given them a wide berth and she smiles and sees that smile mirrored in the northern girls face. They always were stronger together.

Robb stands at the edge of the crowd on his own. Bran went to sit with the Reeds and he had run into a few of his men shortly afterwards. He smiles at his cousin, who can be so shy in real life but comes alive on stage. And then he spots Sansa, as always in the front row. Despite how he wishes he could cover her up, he can't begrudge his sister this feeling that she always gets in the middle of the crowd here. Surprised, he sees Myrcella, radiating with the same strength and happiness dancing to the music. He watches as the two girls wrap their arms around each other and scream something up at Jon that makes him smirk.

He orders another beer and contents himself to see his family happy and together, and to see Myrcella comfortable in the center of it all.

After Jon's set, they pull the dj booth back on. Myrcella goes to go back to their alcove, assuming that's where they will meet the boys but Sansa grabs her arm.

"No…now…we wait."

"For what?"

"For the boys obviously."

Myrcella laughs and says, "How do you know they will come find us."

Sansa looks at the beautiful girl in front of her as though she had sixteen eyes. "Ellie… are you still after all of these years unaware of the effect you have on people? On Robb?"

Myrcella blushes and Sansa smiles kindly at her. "The boys will come because this is where we are. For now, just believe that."

Myrcella starts to say something but before she can, Jon appears with two glasses of water. She takes the one that is offered to her gratefully and sips at it. "You were amazing!" she tells Jon.

"Totally amazing!" says Sansa. Myrcella smiles at the dreamy look on her friends face, and smirks knowingly as Jon blushes from his ear down his neck.

She finds her eyes scanning the crowd and Sansa grabs her wrist, "Just wait."

Before Myrcella can respond, a deep hypnotic song comes on over the speakers. Once again she is lulled into dancing, her hips swaying back and forth. At one with the rhythm, she closes her eyes and spins round and round, her arms raising as she goes, her hair flying all around her. When she opens her eyes, they immediately meet Robb's and she feels her breath hitch.

He is at least 20 feet away but the crowd simply parts before him. She finds herself still dancing to the music as he nears her. He stops when he is a few feet from her.

She half expects him to reach out for her but he doesn't. He simply watches her, as he moves to the rhythm. She gives him a smile before she starts to spin again…

By the gods she is magnificent, Robb thinks to himself as the dj turns on a haunting, primitive song. He watches her give into the beat, merciless against it. He watches Sansa see it too and Jon before they start moving as well, but they are only in Robb's periphery. All of his focus is on the dizzying blond tornado – she is indifferent to the world around her in this moment, but impacts it no less because of it.

As if being pulled on a lead he starts walking towards her. Thanking the respect the Northerners have for his family, he is not forced to adjust his course or lose sight of her for a moment. When he is about 20 feet away she turns towards him and her eyes open. He swears he can almost see her gasp. The pull is stronger now and he walks directly towards her. She continues to dance until he is a few feet in front of her. She looks at him expectantly but he makes no further move towards her. With a heartbreaking smile, she closes her eyes and spins again.

He is aching to touch her, but he won't. He saw how skittish she was just from him trying to lead her into the club, the last thing she needed was for him to try to grind up against her – even if it is what he wanted with every fiber of his being. He respected her too much to make her feel uncomfortable.

But even still, Robb knew there was another reason. He had to know that she wanted him close – he needed that affirmation before he could unseal his heart.

He found himself dancing as well. He had always had a good sense of rhythm, but this was different. She was like a puppeteer, his body going this way and that in sympathy with her own. When she stopped spinning she found herself in front of him.

This time she didn't smile. She moved towards him slowly, as if now she were afraid of spooking him. He clenched every muscle in him to stop from moving towards her as well. Finally, when she is a mere ten inches away, she reaches out a hand, timidly and rests it on his chest, her fingers curling gently over his shoulder. She continues to sway and this time, when she feels his hand at the small of her back she does not jump, but only lifts her eyes to his. She lets her other wrist lay gently on his shoulder, his right hand still at his side and they start to dance together. They're bodies still do not touch except where they have laid their hands, but their eye contact doesn't break.

They stay dancing like that until the song changes, and a person so drunk, even the Stark name doesn't deter them, pushes clumsily past shoving Myrcella flush against Robb, his leg between hers and his other hand now reaches up her arm to hold her steady.

The song now is much more aggressive, and Robb and Myrcella do not move apart once they have come together. Instead they start to move in unison. Robb leads her gently at first. However as the song goes on, their proximity affects them both. They're centers touch and Robb can certainly feel it impacting him. Myrcella, does not understand fully what it will do to either of them when she shimmies against him, but the effect is almost instantaneous. She feels…something nudging her, and grips Robb's shoulders more tightly.

Robb can't meet her gaze, he feels unmanned just from a dance. But then the song changes once again. It is slow, he smiles as he remembers that Sansa had made it an edict that the club play at least a few slow songs throughout the night. But he could give Sansa an entire kingdom just for coming up with this idea as he feels Myrcella shift, so that she is closer to him. Now it is the crooks of her elbows that rest on his shoulders. Her curls tickle his chin and he sees her hesitate only for a moment, before she leans her cheek against his chest.

For his part he moves both of her legs in between his, he doesn't want her to be uncomfortable, and he slowly rubs his hand up and down her back, wanting to treat her with care all the while craving to consume every inch of her.

Excruciating contentment, is what Myrcella Baratheon would say she feels when she is swaying in Robb Stark's arms, her head on his chest. He treats her with such care and in response, she finds that she wants to lose herself within him.

She lifts her head up from his chest and immediately he turns to her in fear, but she simply says in his ear, "I'm so happy you brought me here."

She feels his sigh more than she hears it. "I'm so glad that you came."

She extends her arms a bit, even though she is aching not to, but she is determined to look him in the eyes when she says this.

"I wanted to thank you, Robb."

"For what Ellie?"

"For looking at me like I am the same girl you gave that nickname to, after everything.."

His heart breaks for her. She who was harmed by her own family, still carries the burden of her name. He reaches up now, to brush the curls from her eyes, tucking it slowly behind her ear. This time, he knows he doesn't imagine her breath hitching. As he moves closer to her, he can swear her lips open slightly, but out of the corner of his eye he sees his sister Sansa in a similar position with Jon.

Without realizing his eyes turn thunderous and his grip tightens on Myrcella. She looks at him in confusion and then follows his gaze before her eyes trail back to his face.

"Robb, let's go." "No-" "Now!" she says more forcefully then he had ever heard her.

She gestures him forward through the club, almost pushing him at certain times towards the exit but he stops and when he does he is like stone, she could sooner move the walls of Winterfell.

"Wait here." He says and leaves her to wonder where he is gone. She tries to follow him with her eyes, she sees him talking to Bran and handing him something before returning to their alcove. She worries as she doesn't see him but he reappears at her side shortly with her coat in hand.

"Now we can go," he says once she has put on her coat. This time when he puts his hand on the small of her back she doesn't jump, she simply moves slightly closer and lets him guide her into the cool night.


	5. Chapter 5

_Gods but its cold here,_ Myrcella thought. Even in her heavy long coat, she could still feel the wind in her bones. You wouldn't be able to tell it from looking at Robb, his coat was open and his cheeks flushed, the adrenaline warming his body as it coursed through him.

"Robb…" she started, cursing the chattering of her lips, "You need to calm down."

His eyes blazed with fury before he laughed harshly, "Calm down? That is my _cousin_ in there with my _sister_! For the love of the gods, they were raised as siblings!"

"I know, Lupe… I know…it's just…"

"No, Myrcella…forgive me if I don't want to take advice from you on this of all matters."

Instantly she recoiled from him, letting out a muzzled cry and doubling over as if he had punched her in her gut.

He stood there silently, remorse in his eyes but unable to go to her. Slowly she raised up and when she turned back to him he could see tears frozen on her cheeks. He saw her face turn to stone, it was the first time she resembled her mother.

He braced himself for a lashing, but nothing could prepare him for what she said next.

"You're right, Robb. I was raised in a family where my uncle was my brothers' father. They didn't have his name, but they had his blood. My father, Robert, never knew, but I always had the feeling he sensed it. He was so much more withdrawn from them, preferring my company to theirs. I grew up under the smear of it, _incest_ , it wasn't until years later that we discovered that I was trueborn, my blonde hair and green eyes saving me from being killed by my mother, like my elder brother had been before me. It's a funny thing to be raised amongst it. I saw the difference in how my father treated my mother versus how my uncle did. With my father it was harsh words and rough actions, with my uncle it was a soft voice and gentle stolen caresses, hiding for so long as being simply brotherly. Once I knew, once we all knew, what they were doing, I looked to my brothers. The older one, vicious and mad, the other, sweet and kind. I realized then, through Tommen, that it didn't have to be monstrous. If they could create one such as him, so good and loyal and … ", she broke off in silent mourning for her brother, "could it really be the action, innately, that was evil?"

Robb is silently taking this all in, he had known she was a trueborn Baratheon, the DNA results had been front page news for weeks. But until this moment he had never really thought about what it must have been like to be raised in that corrupt house known as the Red Keep.

"You were raised by a father with a legacy for honor, and your mother with a legacy for duty. You were raised to care for your siblings, to protect them. But my father stole your sister, Sansa. He carried her away like a little bird, desperate for her dignity to rub off on Joffrey. But then my father died. Joffrey took over and swiftly removed your father's head for the great crime of honor. Sansa was left, all alone, in that gilded prison. She was humiliated and grieving and harmed. Every victory you won, she was punished for. You started a war to get her back and though she suffered for it, she was grateful to know she wasn't forgotten. And then Jon, commanding the Night's Watch, leading an army of Wildlings, marched to the Red Keep. You had been told she was being hidden at Casterly Rock, so you laid siege. You and he devised to surround the Lannisters, knowing that one way or the other, one of you would rescue Sansa or the two of you would die trying. I was there you know. When the Wildlings stormed in. Can you imagine that they didn't rape a single soul? So strong was their loyalty to you and Jon. I was with her, when he came. She had promised to protect me, there was no saying how I would be treated when I was found. He barged into her room and stood their dumbfounded, taking in her new height, her new body that was ravaged with bruises, his face was bloody, his sword was bloody and he stood there in awe of her. The sound I heard her make in that moment was hardly even human, but she crossed the rooms and jumped into his arms and he held her for what seemed like an eternity. The relief on their faces was like nothing I've ever seen."

She could feel him struggling for words, not sure how to proceed. He was racked with his own memories of that day. She was right, he had heard that Sansa was at Casterly Rock and he had laid siege to the Lannister's ancestral land. It didn't take long, after Tywin had died, the last true lion, the people didn't care to die for Joffrey and Cersei, so they let him in, in exchange for no harm coming to the townspeople. Robb had been relieved, there had been too much bloodshed already. Two more deaths he told himself, and the war would be over.

He had stormed the castle, and when he found Cersei she only smiled before raising the poison to her lips. "Well done, little wolf," she said before it took her, one last smirk frozen on her dying lips.

 _One down_ … he had thought.

When he found him, he was cowering in a corner, his crossbow in his trembling hands. Robb remembers smiling, as he crossed the room evenly. And with a voice low and menacing he had said, "My father always told me that a crossbow was a coward's weapon. You remember my father, don't you Joffrey? The man you ordered to be beheaded simply for speaking the truth. And my sister Joffrey…my beautiful, innocent, sister who thought she loved you, where is she?" at this his voice raises in a threat, desperation seeping through.

He had reached Joffrey then, had dragged him up by his collar. "She's…she's in Kings Landing!" he screamed, "Please!"

Robb had been flooded with relief, he knew Jon would stop at nothing to find her.

He dropped Joffrey back to the floor, unsheathed his sword. "I, Robb Stark, King of the North and the son of Eddard Stark, sentence you to die. But unlike you, I will swing the sword myself," and without further ado he plunged his sword into Joffrey's chest and watched the life drain from his eyes.

He had sworn he would carve his heart out and present it to Sansa, but he settled for his blood drenched cloak instead. He sent a Raven to the Red Keep letting Jon know that the boy king, the usurper was dead. He signed off with one line, _We are going home._

The two stood their in ragged silence, each haunted by their own memories, before Robb found the ability to speak.

"I can't imagine how hard it must have been for Sansa, but how does that change what is happening now?"

She smiled mirthlessly and said, "Think about it Robb. Sansa didn't experience a moment of pain before her 15th birthday. She had been raised with you and Jon, warriors in the making, who would never lay a hand on her. But then she was stolen away from her family, and pain was the order of the day. Then you go to war for her and Jon rescues her. She has turned into a woman in the time they have been apart and suddenly he is there and he is everything that is safe and good in the world. Can you ever imagine her wanting to be parted from either of you again? But then she finds out that Jon isn't her brother, but her cousin. She finds out that in the years he was away, he too grew into a man, and, " now she lets herself truly smile, "a rather handsome one at that, can you honestly not understand how her feelings would develop? How they would be stronger _because_ they were family. In all honesty, how could she ever love someone outside her family ever again?"

He is annoyed that this is making sense to him. She is, seemingly unknowingly, using his greatest weakness against him. His love for Sansa and the guilt he has for not saving her sooner. He finds that when he looks at it from Myrcella's viewpoint, he can't begrudge Sansa her feelings. After years of torture and uncertainty, it is natural that she would gravitate towards someone as steady as Jon, bound by both honor and love to protect her.

He shakes his head, "But..okay…Sansa I can get. She's lonely and confused, her ideas about love are skewed, but Jon? He's a grown man… how can he allow her? How can he allow himself to have these feelings."

"Robb, Sansa has the ability to make men forget their very names, their very loyalties with a simple look. She is not only beautiful but after everything warm and kind. Like Sansa, can you not imagine Jon being drawn to her, his feeling of duty and love morphing into those of desire?"

When he doesn't answer her she says simply, "Tell me this Robb, if it had to be anyone –" and he cuts her off saying, "It should be him."

He walks away from her, walking in circles then and she stands there, nearly frozen watching him. He let's this sink in, this anger he had been feeling being replaced by acceptance, and so much shame.

Myrcella was right, he may not like it, but if they hadn't been related, Robb couldn't choose a better person for his sister. After everything she had lost, could he really begrudge her this?

He finally turns to her and says, "You're making me smarter, Myrcella Baratheon."

She giggles at that, pleased to see the lightness return to his features.

"Do you want to go back in there?" she asks.

"No…I mean…I'll get over this, but I left the keys with Bran and told him to make sure he came back with Jon and Sansa. I think I need a night to let it sink in."

She laughs, "You'll have more than a night to get used to it, nothing has happened with them yet."

He groans, "Let's just stay away from that topic, shall we?" and it such a normal older brother reaction that Myrcella giggles mischievously.

"Then back home, er…I mean to Winterfell?" she asks.

"Back to Winterfell" he says with a smile that dies on his lips as he grabs her hand, "By the gods, Myrcella you're half frozen!"

As he says it, she feels the cold return to her. She had forgotten it during her conversation.

He pulls mittens out of his pocket and she reaches for them, noticing her hand trembling as she does. Rather than hand them to her he takes one hand in his and raises it close to his mouth, breathing warm air onto it and rubbing it gently before easing the mitten on to her. He repeats the same with her other and guides her to a waiting taxi.

Once inside, Myrcella feels herself begin to thaw at an almost painful rate, but she sits back in her seat and wonders about the relief she feels wash over her as Robb turns to the driver and says, "To Winterfell, mate."


	6. Chapter 6

Robb wakes up early, the fall sky creeping in his window. He isn't surprised to see his wolf absent from his chambers, knowing that he must have found his way to one of the girls sleeping in the castle. His mind is a whirlwind from the night before. The look on Jon's face when Myrcella gracefully took the shot, watching her dance, feeling her pressed up against him… he feels himself stir at the thought. But then he remembers what happened next, the anger he felt and the way he let Myrcella's logic dissuade it. She had forced him to confront so many things, so many truths he would have rather laid buried, but all the same he couldn't begrudge her for it. He knew they had more they needed to discuss from the time of the war, more he needed to tell her that he knew. But that could wait, something told Robb that now, they would have the gift of time.

Robb rose from his bed, naked (his preferred way to sleep) and padded to the bathroom to shower and get ready for the day. After pulling on dark jeans and a chunky, handmade sweater Sansa had given him on his last name day, pulling his boots on, he made his way to the kitchen.

Lorna, the cook who had been with him since a boy had regretfully passed, though peacefully thanks to the gods, a year prior. Her daughter, Lyla, was the Stark's cook now, they had promised her a place for as long as she wanted it.

While Lorna's cooking had been comforting, reminding him of his time as a boy, he couldn't deny that Lyla's was far superior. He came into the kitchen to the smell of coffee and bacon. Making himself a plate after kissing her cheek, and finds his way into the breakfast room where Bran is already seated.

"How late did you guys stay out?" he asks in greeting to his brother.

Bran smirks, "Too late. We had to drag Sansa off the dance floor, she was in rare form," he says, shaking his head thinking of his beautiful sister pleading her case with true dignity.

Robb laughs, "I've fought that battle…war was safer." And the two brothers laugh, it's a relief that their sister's stubbornness had returned. For months after the war she had been as pliable and amenable as a dove, it had taken a long time for her to feel comfortable sticking up for herself. She now had no trouble.

Bran eyes him after a little while, "And you, dear brother, how did your night end?"

"Don't get smart with me, little one," "I was born this way baby."

Robb laughs at the truth of it. Bran had always been quick, but their time apart had given him a wisdom, that even now Robb knew he couldn't truly understand.

"We just talked, and came home. I think I'm going to take her riding today… though I don't know if she still enjoys it as she once did…"

"Something tells me she will enjoy it if you are with her," Bran says simply.

Robb looked at him questioningly, he can tell that there is more that Bran isn't telling him. Over the years, the siblings had learned that sometimes Bran would just know something, would feel the truth, they had come accustomed to taking him at his word. Whatever Bran knew, it sounded like Myrcella Baratheon would welcome his company, and Robb wasn't going to question something that made his heart soar so happily.

Myrcella woke up, wrapped in wool and cashmere and under piles of fur blankets. She stretched and was surprised to feel one of the blankets move. She shrunk back but then saw Grey Wind's yellow eyes pop up, ready to attack whatever had scared her and she slumped back giggling. He scooted up to her, resting his head against her chest and she scratched his ears, his woodsy hum reverberating in her chest.

She had always been comfortable with the great beast of the north. He had always provided her comfort, ever since he had been the one to find her lost in the woods after she had wandered away from the castle. He had taken up his post as her protector from then on. He guarded her door at first, until one night, as the wind was crackling and she was shivering under all of her blankets, he had gotten up onto her bed and placed himself against her side. Her own personal space heater.

There had been many nights during the war that she had laid in bed awake at night, yearning for the comfort of her companion. But she knew that he was somewhere, protecting Robb, and she was happy to sacrifice one comfort for another.

She had known things were going to be bad when her mother sentenced Lady to die. No harm could come to a Stark child when their direwolf was near, and her mother used her power to rob Sansa of her truest protection and friend. She had often wondered, when she held Sansa after she had been beaten, if Sansa thought about this. If she had imagined what it would have been like with her direwolf at her side. Lady had always lived up to her name, but Myrcella knew that if she had been alive during the war, she would have made a feast of the Red Keep, and would not have stopped until she was done.

She ponders this as she looks outside. It is a clear, beautiful day and Myrcella is eager to join it, but giggles at Grey Wind whimpers when she stops scratching his ears.

"Come on, lazy bones, shall we go find Robb?" his tail thumps at that. She knows that despite Grey Wind's loyalty to Sansa and affection for her, he is at his happiest and most content around Robb.

Myrcella hops in the shower, drying her hair as quickly as possible. She pulls on long underwear and a pair of jeans, a long sleeved t-shirt and a big light pink turtleneck. She puts on hiking socks underneath her brown weathered riding boots and walks out the door without a hint of make up or perfume.

She comes downstairs to a myriad of delicious smells. Stepping into the dining room and seeing the three boys in conversation. She sees Robb tense up as Jon teases him but she rolls her eyes at him and he laughs, easing the tension.

"Good morning, gentleman," she says cheerily. They are reminded of her as a girl, that is how she greeted them even then. She makes her way around the table, greeting them each individually. "Hello Rockstar," she says and daringly ruffles Jon's hair, "You have GOT to show me around the library today Bran," and then she stands in front of Robb. "Morning Lupe" she says, sounding more carefree than she feels.

He clears his throat, his head cloudy as he smells her peppermint body wash. "There is uh…breakfast in the kitchen. Lyla will make you anything you want though." She smiles at him before picking a grape off his plate and popping it in her mouth.

Myrcella walks into the kitchen to find a stout woman with a kind face flipping pancakes at the enormous range. She sees mountains of eggs and bacon and fresh fruit, but her eyes are drawn to the coffee pot.

"Help yourself my dear, if there is anything that you would like that you don't see, just say the word."

She pours herself coffee, "This is marvelous Lyla… thank you so much. I am not sure if you remember me but I'm –"

"Myrcella Baratheon. Aye, I remember you child. I taught you how to make sweet rolls before you could see above the counter."

Myrcella smiles, even after all of these years she could make those sweet rolls in her sleep, never needing a recipe. The kneeding of the dough and familiar smells comforted her still.

She adds a touch of cream to her coffee and takes a pancake and some bacon, adding an extra piece to split amongst the wolves, and some fresh fruit before making her way back into the dining room.

The boys look at her as she settles in and only after a moment does she realize she had been contentedly humming one of their northern lullabies. They each had a look of disbelief.

"I'm so sorry, it just popped into my head after I spoke with Lyla."

"No it's alright it's just…" Robb starts.

"Our mother used to sing us that." Bran says. Myrcella's face falls but she notices that none of them look sad or angry, just wistful.

Determined to save herself from her foolishness she says to them, "So where is Sansa?" and is met with three laughing faces.

"Lady Sleepyhead won't be joining us for hours."

Myrcella giggled, remembering how her friend could fall asleep in any occasion. "So it's just us four…"

The three boys share a look before Jon pushes his chair abruptly back from the table, "Actually I told Sam I would practice with him," and Bran starts to roll himself away, "Yes and I have to work on my thesis…I'll uh…see you two at dinner."

Robb feels himself blush, smirking at their attempt at grace.

Myrcella looks at him and smiles shyly, "So it's just us two…"

He smiles, "I thought maybe…if you wanted…we could go riding? I'm not sure if you still like it but I remember you enjoyed it when we were younger."

She smiles, "I'd love it, I still ride twice a week. But I didn't bring my riding jacket or gloves, do you mind?"

"Of course, we have a whole room of extras, shall we?" he asks as he pulls back her chair.

"We shall," she says as she races out the door towards the stables.

An hour later, they have made their way through the woods into a clearing they had often visited so that she could see the Winter Roses. She was always been disappointed that they couldn't grow in the south.

Robb trails behind Myrcella, her laughter ringing behind her and he marvels at how she can be so graceful and so wild at the same time. She slows her horse so he does as well and hops off. Letting the reins go he comes over to help her dismount.

He knows that she doesn't need the help, but he is so desperate to touch her, and this seems as innocent a way as any.

She smiles down at him before swinging her leg over so that she is sitting side saddle. Putting her hands on his shoulders she eases her way down, until he can put his hands on her waist. Caught between the horse and him she eases her way down, until her feet are on the ground and their bodies are pressed against one another in a decidedly uninnocent kind of way.

"T-thank you Robb," she says, and he can see her chest rising and falling as her voice betrays her.

She looks up at him, an unasked question in her eyes, and he leans down, his answer on his lips.


	7. Chapter 7

Nothing in the world could prepare Myrcella for being kissed by Robb Stark. She had kissed before, she was 20 after all, but never like this. His grip was gentle on her waist but his lips had a restrained fierceness to them. He kissed her reverently, and when they broke apart his gaze is that of a fanatic viewing a deity.

She craves to be worshipped again, tilting her head back up and catching his lips greedily, her tongue entering his mouth, desperate to taste it. She feels, more than hears his groan, and it shoots right down to her center. Desperate to feel it again she raises her fingers into his hair, grasping at his curls.

While she had only yesterday jumped at his touch, she now yearns for it, silently begging him to hold her tighter. She nips his lip to convey her need and he answers her tenfold, both his hands cupping her face, his pinkies spreading down her neck as his thumbs keep her chin raised to him. For her part, her hands are everywhere, in his curls, clutching his shoulders. He nips her lip and her hands go down to the small of his back and pull him greedily against her, a small moan escaping her lips.

He doesn't remember pushing her against the tree, he doesn't know how they even got there, all he knows is that he is kissing Myrcella Baratheon and that if he were offered any one of the seven heavens he would reject them all in favor of her lips.

He relishes her hands on him, her need to be close to him. She seems so different from the girl who had jumped at his touch.

He removes himself from her lips and smiles into her neck when he hears her whimper, but he can't help but let out a growl of his own when she grinds herself into him. He nips at her neck, and lets his tongue trace up to her earlobe.

"Robb…" his name is a prayer on her lips.

He looks down at the beautiful girl in front of him, who is always so poised and ladylike. Now, she straddles one of his legs, he and the tree holding her up. His hands are underneath her sweater on her waist and her face and neck are flushed, a hint of perspiration on her forehead. He could take her right now, rip off her clothes and take her standing there. His entire body aches to. But she is still the girl who jumped at his touch only a day ago. He knows that if he took her now he would be rough and crude, and wild. And he can't do that to her, not this time. He groans as he buries his head in her neck again, not kissing her this time, just listening to the wild beat of her heart. Slowly, he removes his hands from her waist, straightening her shirt and sweater so that she is no longer vulnerable to the cold. He removes his leg from in between hers and keeps his hand on her waist to steady her. When he is sure she won't fall he moves away from her, forcing himself back from her three feet at least, so that he knows she is safe from him.

"Robb…" this time when she says her name he hears her voice tremble.

She had never had such ecstasy as she had felt when he had her pressed up, imprisoned in his grasp. But just as quickly it seemed, he has released her and pushed himself away from her.

Myrcella was immediately hit with shame. He must regret kissing her, she thought, I must have done something wrong.

She says his name, the only word she can think of in that moment, and is surprised to hear the tears in her voice when she does.

He looks at her in panic and is on her in an instant, "Are you hurt, did I hurt you my love I'm so sorry I just couldn't control myself…"

This confuses her, "I thought…I thought you regretted it."

He lets out a strangled laugh, "By the gods Myrcella I thought you were smarter than me." He pulls her to him and wraps her in his embrace, his hair gently smoothing her curls. "I was just afraid, you beautiful silly girl, that if we went any further I wouldn't be able to stop."

She burrowed into his chest, petulantly thinking that she hadn't wanted to stop. She doesn't realize she had voiced this out loud until he pulls away from her. The blue of his eyes search her green ones and he asks, "Myrcella, have you ever been with a man?"

She feels the heat spread across her face. How was she supposed to tell him that no, she hadn't in fact ever been with a man? But she doesn't need to, it is written all over her face.

He couldn't believe it, how had this beautiful, perfect creature remained in tact through the entirety of the war, and the years after? He looked at her then and he knew. There is only one reason a girl like this would be a virgin, by necessity. She had been so wounded that the idea of being with someone had frightened her. He shook his head at his own stupidity, _Obviously Robb, if she freaked out about your hand on her arm do you honestly think she could let someone fuck her?_

Robb felt inept. How could he explain his predicament to someone so innocent?

When he looked back at her, he saw an unbelievable emotion on her face: shame. This infuriated him, she was ashamed that she was a virgin? She should be celebrating it, he certainly was. He thanked the gods for giving him the strength not to have taken her a moment ago - that is not what she deserves for her first time.

"Myrcella, you have no idea what a gift it is…that you haven't. You deserve to know what it feels like, to have that joy, but I can't helped but be pleased that you emerged from the war in one way, if only one way, unscathed. I don't regret kissing you, there isn't a thing in the world that could make me, but…when a man gets caught up in all of that…there is a certain point where it becomes almost impossible to stop. Even not knowing that you were a virgin, I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't let our first time be against a tree. And now, I certainly couldn't let your first time be. But if there is one thing you can believe, it is this, I want you Myrcella Baratheon and nothing is going to change that."

He is surprised at himself for being so honest, though he shouldn't have been. There is something about the exquisite girl in front of him that breaks down every defense he had built in the last few years. But nothing could have prepared him for what she did next.

She takes in his words and her internal monologues goes wild _He wants me he wants me HE wants me_. She understood what he meant. She always had been a feather bed kind of girl and she really was rather cold.

Regaining control over herself she flicked her long hair over her shoulder and leaned in, as if she would kiss him. She sees his lips parting in anticipation and she smiles as she instead raises her lips to his ears and says quietly, "Know this, whether in the woods or a castle, you will be my first Robb Stark. Don't disappoint me."

With that she kisses his cheek and walks away from him, giggling as he hits the tree trunk with his fist. Gracefully she lifts herself back onto the horse and looks back at him over his shoulder, "Race you!" and nudges her heels gently against her horse as she sees Robb race to his.

On his horse in an instant, he takes off behind her, her laughter ringing in his ears.


	8. Chapter 8

Hours later, Myrcella wanders the castle. She is surprised that her body remembers the things she would have swore her mind had forgotten. Before she knows it, she has wandered into the great library. Every wall is covered in books and lanterns hang from the ceiling, a number of desks, one for each of the Starks as well as couches and reading chairs are strewn throughout the room.

She goes to one shelf, her fingers lovingly tracing the volumes. Titles such as _The Targyreans and their Dragons: A History_ and _The Great Wars of Westoros_ are arranged in some kind of order. She is about to take out a book with a particularly interesting title when she hears behind her, "Oh don't be fooled by that one…"

She startles and then laughs to herself as she turns around to see Bran in one of the chairs, seemingly proofreading.

"It sounds so interesting though…"

"I know…I was its victim last month. Try the next shelf, look for one titled _A Weapon of Another_."

She finds the book he is looking for, it is more slender than the others and fairly plain.

"What's it about?"

"It's better if you just read it…I couldn't do it justice."

"Do you mind if I sit here for a while?" she asks gesturing to one of the reading chairs.

"Not at all, please."

She smiles at him and settles in. There is a fire going and as she curls up to read she is overwhelmed with contentment. The book catches her in the first sentence, and hours later she's in the same spot.

When Robb comes into the library he sees Bran, his face contorted in consternation, angrily scratching something out. His brother the perfectionist…

"Bran have you seen-" but Bran simply gestures to the chair across from him. Robb then notices the blond curl that falls over the armrest. He walks over slowly, expecting to find her asleep but instead sees her engrossed in whatever she is reading.

"Ellie" he says quietly. She looks up at his voice and blinks, as if unsure of where she was. Then she lets out a breathtaking smile and tosses her pillow lightly at Bran.

"You genius!" she says to him, which makes him laugh. "I told you.."

Robb rolls his eyes when he sees what book she's holding. Bran had worn him down years ago and he understood her interest.

"Dinner is ready guys… Lyla made pot roast and if you don't come down shortly I think Jon is going to start without us." They both laughed.

Myrcella rose out of her chair, stretching, a sliver of her taut stomach showing when she does. She catches Robb staring and looks down at herself.

"Should I change? This isn't exactly dinner attire."

The boys both laugh, "It is here. We are staying in tonight, thought we'd all play cards after dinner." He says as she nears him, "And," he says looping his arm around her shoulders and nuzzling your ear, "you look beautiful, Ellie."

Dinner is more delicious than Myrcella can handle. The pot roast is comforting and flavorful, the brussel sprouts mouthwatering, and the Dornish red they open with it goes down smoothly. So smoothly in fact that they've finished 5 bottles amongst them by the time they've finished dinner.

The meal had passed amongst a whirl of conversation. Myrcella and Sansa were seated next to one another engrossed in conversation. She overheard Bran and Jon arguing over some band or another and caught Robb's eye every so often and shared a smile.

"I need to talk to you, alone." Sansa says in a whisper.

Myrcella rises from the table, three boys and three wolves rise with her. "Gentleman, you'll have to excuse us. Give us thirty minutes, we'll be in the library."

With that she grabs her wine glass, and another bottle of wine and leads Sansa into the living room, three wolves trailing behind.

"Traitors" one of the boys says to the wolves making Myrcella and Sansa laugh.

They curl up on one of the couches and Myrcella pours them both fresh glasses of wine. When she hands Sansa hers and tucks her legs underneath her she says, "Okay, spill."

With that Sansa's face crumbles and Myrcella isn't sure what to expect. "I have to tell you something…" "I figured…" "Don't tease me it's serious!"

Myrcella grabbed Sansa's and said, "Come on San, you know you can tell me anything. What secrets could the two of us possibly have after everything?"

The need to spill wins over, it always does with Sansa and she says simply, "I'm in love."

Myrcella laughs and Sansa's face crumbles. Not wanting to torture her friend she says, "Sansa I'm sorry, but that isn't exactly a secret. It's written all over your face."

"Ah but the secret is who I am in love with. It's… _Jon_ " and looks at Myrcella expectantly.

Myrcella only smiles on her, which causes Sansa to ask, "How did you know?"

Myrcella approaches her friend gently, "Sansa, darling, it's clear…how much affection the two of you have for one another. He's so protective of you and I can see the way you look at him." When she sees that Sansa is no longer in pain she teases "Goodness, you were practically his groupie last night…", which makes her friend snort.

"I don't know what to do – he could never look at me that way but I just…want him." Myrcella smiles at the simple sentiment, she knew the feeling. But then she rolls her eyes lovingly at Sansa. "You are too smart to be this dumb, San. The boy is mad for you, I can tell."

"Robb would die if he knew." Sansa says. Myrcella's stomach lurches and she says quietly, "He knows." "What!?" she screeches and hide herself in her pillow.

"Yes, it's why we left last night. He saw the two of you dancing and his temper got the better of him. But we talked… I think I got through to him. He agreed that there is no better fit for you than Jon."

Sansa set her wine glass down and nearly tackled her friend in a hug. "Oh Ellie, promise me we'll never go this long again without seeing each other. How have I survived these last years without you?"

Myrcella feels tears spring to her eyes as she boroughs into her friend, wondering the same thing. As quickly the hug starts it ends as Sansa pulls back.

"Wait THAT'S why you guys left? I thought you guys were…you know" which makes Myrcella blush. "Damn I owe Bran 20 bucks," which earns her a playful shove from Myrcella.

"What's going on there?" Sansa asks, and she can't tell if she is asking as Robb's sister, or her friend, probably both.

Myrcella blushes scarlet and Sansa knows that something must have happened, but she won't push her friend to tell.

As they hear the boys coming in, Myrcella turns to Sansa quietly and says, "Know this, Sansa. Jon is in love with you, but he won't make the first move. It has to be you, he couldn't risk hurting you, he won't."

The girls share a conspiratorial look as the boys come in, each of them holding another bottle of wine and in Robb's hand is a deck of cards.


	9. Chapter 9

Hours later, there is a new rule in Winterfell: Sansa and Myrcella are never, under any circumstances allowed to be partners in cards.

It had been a massacre, the boys had lost over and over again. The group had drank more and more wine. At some point, someone turned on music and the boys had fought for control over it ever since.

Without anyone noticing, Sansa gained control and turned on a song that sounded like a waltz mixed with a folk dance. Myrcella's memories washed over her as she turned to Sansa. The redheaded girl was already standing up and dragging the blond with her. Without a word the two faced each other and started moving in sync. Their hands held out in front of them, slightly touching they moved their feet in time to the music then both clapped to their left and spun once, joining again. She flicked her hands this way and that, her hips sashaying in perfect step. When the song ended she and Sansa curtseyed to one another. They rose to wild applause from the boys, Bran howling in good spirit, but Jon and Robb mesmerized.

Jon turned to them and said, "Where did you guys learn it?"

Myrcella responded, "We had a dancing instructor in the capital. We would spend hours practicing…it was a good way to stay out of the way. Anyway he loved us" "A mastrapiece a mastrapiece" Sansa intoned sending the girls into a fit of laughter.

Myrcella looks at Sansa conspiratorially, understanding dawning in the redheads eyes, "Do you want to learn how to do it?"

"No" Robb and Jon said in unison.

Myrcella smirked, "What are you scared? Come on…you can't be worse at dancing than you are at cards…"

Robb fake growls at her before turning the music on again. There is a twinkle in his eye as he approaches her "You're going to regret that one…"

Jon has no choice but to do the same, but it's obvious he is uncomfortable. Myrcella mercifully takes control.

"First the men bow," she says and looks down haughtily at Robb's grinning face as he does, "then the women" she says and lowers herself in a graceful curtsey, only flicking her eyes up when her butt nearly touches the floor. She watches Robb stifle a groan as she rises herself back up.

"Hands out, and, one two step, other side, one two step, clap you're hands and turn".

The two pairs set off in a dance, each entirely in their own world but perfectly in sync. Myrcella can't help but smile as the steps of the dance bring her and Robb together. He looks nearly as graceful as she does making the hand motions. When she completes a turn, she gasps when Robb grabs her waist and lifts her up into the air, holding her with one arm as he turns in a circle. He lets her down slowly and they continue on, and after the next turn he does the same. This time she notices that Jon has done the same to Sansa and she bares a similar look of surprise, not to mention yearning. The song ends and the two pairs bow to one another.

This time when they part is the girls who are in awe. "How did … I …how?" Myrcella asks dumbfounded.

Robb gives her a cocky grin, "Oh please, I was forced into dance lessons the minute I was old enough to walk. It's required of a gentleman, as it is of a lady."

Myrcella realizes her foolishness and smiles all the same, "Well, they certainly paid off."

He takes her hand and kisses her knuckle, "They certainly did." Myrcella can feel the blush in her toes.

The waltz had been different than dancing with her last night for Robb. Last night was about pure attraction and need. There was no grace in it, only lust. But the dance they had just done, was the dance of their ancestors. It was customary at engagements, a dance of passion unfulfilled, and never had Robb felt the truth of it before now.

Even in jeans and a sweater, Myrcella was a lady – delicate, graceful, unattainable.

He looked over and saw the same internal monologue running through Jon's mind as he refilled Sansa's wine glass. For her part her sister was radiating joy. Something had passed between them as it had between him and Myrcella. It was clear to him now that he had been fighting the inevitable. He smiled as he saw his sister whisper something in Jon's ear that surprised him, and he grabbed her coat and followed her outside to the driveway.

Robb looked away from them after a moment to find Myrcella teaching Bran the hand movements, clapping the beat for him. A wave of emotion hit Robb and he knew what he had probably known when he saw her in the lobby of the hotel, what he had probably known even back when they were children, Myrcella Baratheon, whatever else she was, was the woman for him.

Myrcella had seen Sansa lead Jon outside and smiled a private smile at Bran. Something told her that he already knew everything and was okay with it. The wisdom he radiated could be unnerving if his goodness was not so overwhelming.

Though he didn't seem to mind, she felt sorry that the two had paired off so she starting teaching him the dance. She saw that Robb had been working through what he saw in Sansa and Jon and wanted to give him space. Bran took to the movements quickly making Myrcella thing, _These Northern children take to the old customs so much easier…as if it's in their very blood_.

Myrcella sat down on the couch and felt the room spin a bit. She hadn't drank wine in at least an hour, but the headiness of the dance, of being in Robb's arms had gotten to her.

Bran cut into her thoughts, "I'm going to go to bed, night you guys."

"Goodnight Bran, sleep well" Robb said. She just smiled at him.

The fire was still roaring and Myrcella settled in happily to the couch when she met Robb's eyes. She didn't say anything, just patted the cushion next to her. He smiled and came to sit next to her.

 _Gods he's big_ she thought as he settled in. He draped an arm around the back of the couch and she leaned into him, her head resting on his chest, her feet tucked beneath her. She felt his arms come around her from both sides as he put his feet up on the ottoman and settled back. He traced circles absentmindedly on her arm as he holds her. They stay like that for a long while before either of them speak, then she says to him, still burrowed in his chest, "Can I tell you a secret?"

Every chance he got to touch Myrcella was a new sensation. Whether he was dancing with her, kissing her, or holding her on the couch, she pierced him like a thousand knives. He could see Grey Wind and Snow resting by the fire, enjoying the warmth and the positive emotions that must have been emanating from him and Myrcella.

He traced circles on Myrcella's arm needing to remind himself over and over again that she was here. After a while he heard her ask, "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Of course, Ellie."

"I don't want to go back."

Robb smiles, "I know the feeling, I never want to leave Winterfell when I'm here. I'm glad you like it here."

"No that's not what I mean," she says as she extricates herself so that she can look at him. She rests and elbow on his shoulder and looks at him, "I mean, I do love it here… it's so peaceful and beautiful but" she then pulls absentmindly at a thread of his sweater.

Robb wasn't sure where this was going, but the suspense was killing him. He could tell that whatever Ellie wanted to say she was scared by and he needed to know. He lifted her chin gently to raise her gaze to his, "But what?"

She blows out a gust of air, seeming to gain courage as she does. "I don't want to go back…to before. To wondering how you all were doing…to missing Sansa…to missing you. I don't want to go back to a time where I didn't know you anymore. I-…I can't. I wont survive losing all of you, all of this again."

He can tell the strength it takes her to say that and he lets out a sigh of relief.

"Myrcella, if I had it my way, we would never be separated again." He sees her face relax in relief and decide that it's time that he is honest with her as well.

"You know…we looked for you. After. Gods Myrcella, if I had known you were in Wintertown do you think it would have taken me this long to come to you?"

"You looked for me? Why?"

"Why? Myrcella you were practically a child when the war started. You had gone from the delicate girl who used to beg me to take her riding to my enemy in the time it took for Ilyn to remove my father's head. But you couldn't possibly think I could blame you for any of that? Even before we rescued Sansa, I thought of you often, I was so worried about you, being on the wrong side of the war. I was so afraid that someone would punish you for your family. But then we got Sansa back…"

Myrcella has tears quietly running down her face now.

"She told us…what you did." When Myrcella doesn't say anything he continues, "She told us how you used to try to distract Joffrey. How you tried to take the blows meant for her, even though he dealt out more than enough to you. She told us how you shielded her from Meryn's blade as it threatened to come down on your cheek before your mother cried out for him to stop. She told us how the two of you used to fall asleep, in the same bed, back to back, guarding one another every night for a year. And she told us how relieved she was when she heard that Jon and I were coming, how relieved she was that she would finally be able to protect you. How she held you close because she was terrified of what our army would do to the southern princess. She told us that as she was reuniting with Jon, you slipped from the room and she never saw you again."

He is shaking as he says this. His fists clenched. Killing Joffrey once would never be enough and it was all he would ever get.

"We finally heard you were alright, about a year later. Westeros Times had you on the cover, announcing you as Robert Baratheon's true daughter. We were so relieved that you were alive. So relieved that you were what we had always expected, the true daughter of our father's best friend. But we never knew where you went before or after. We never knew how to look for you…"

Myrcella has curled in on herself as she listens to Robb's words. She hears what Sansa has told him and knows truth in it. She knows that she intercepted blows meant for Sansa. She knows that she almost lost her pretty face to Meryn's blade. But she didn't know that they had looked for her, wondered about her, missed her.

Finally she finds her words, wiping tears from her eyes. "It was Barristan. He slipped in while Jon and Sansa were hugging and pulled me away and put me on a ship. He took me to the Summer Isles, he knew I would be safe there. We stayed for six months, while he tried to negotiate our passage to the North. He had been confused when I told him where I wanted to go. He didn't understand that it was the last place I had felt self. We've been there for two years now, and every day I hoped to catch a glimpse of one of you."

At that he collapses into her, his fingers in her hair as he crushes his lips to hers. She feels as though she will suffocate under his might and she eagerly calls for death if it feels like this. His kisses turn from aggressive to gentle. He kisses her lips and her cheeks and her eyes and her forehead before pulling her in for a hug.

"No one, will ever hurt you again, Ellie." She hears him say. "Any the only thing that will tear me from you is when you no longer want me by your side." His worlds dissolve into madness then, he kisses promises into her skin as his hands wander over her arms and into her hair. She holds onto him panting but somehow finds the strength to whisper in his ear, "Take me to bed, Robb."


	10. Chapter 10

He stiffens at her words, had he just heard her right? He pulls away from her and looks in her eyes where he can see the truth there. She wants this and he doesn't have the strength to deny either one of them for a moment longer. He stands up and gathers her in his arms, nearly taking the stairs to his bedroom two at a time. He expects her to giggle but when she looks at him there is only lust in her eyes.

He closes his door and tosses her gently on the bed before climbing on top of her. He holds her face in his hands, "The minute you want to stop you tell me."

She smiles and turns them over so that she is on top of him straddled over his hips. _Oh god oh god oh god_ She pulls off her sweater and t shirt in one fluid motion exposing her light pink lace bra. Then she smirks at him and says, "The minute you want to stop YOU tell me."

He can't help it, he growls at her as he sits up, holding her in place at her hips as he leans in to press kisses to her neck, her collarbone, then deliciously onto her breasts. Her hands weave into his hair as she tilts her head back exposing herself to his lips. He reaches behind her and unclasps her bra and wastes no time grabbing one of her perfect breasts in his hands and lowering his mouth to it. She gasps when his mouth wraps around her nipple and he can feel her nails digging into his shoulder through his sweater when he flicks it with his tongue. He kisses his way up to her, his hands greedily on her neck forcing her mouth onto his. His tongue invades her mouth and hers meets his in a dance that could make his head explode. She reaches down and pulls his sweater off, catches his mouth again and then pulls his t shirt off.

He can see her look of amazement at his chest, or more at the scars on it, she traces the lines of it. He expects her to be scared, as many men who had cut him had died and many more, but instead she kisses her way across them, as if her lips could wash them away. At this point he wouldn't be surprised if they did. She kisses her way up his neck then to his ear and let's her teeth graze his lobe.

"Gods Myrcella" he groans and squeezes her perfect ass with both hands. She moans at that and grinds into him.

He can't take it, he flips her back around so he is on top, hovering over her. He kisses his way down her chest and stomach as his hands find their way to the button of her jeans. Desperate he pulls them off of her, leaving her only in her light pink lace panties. He reaches up and catches her mouth again before planting them on her neck, her chest, both of her breasts, her navel. He sinks down and hooks one of her legs over him so he is between them, his face separated from her glorious center by only by a flimsy piece of fabric.

He looks up at her with a question in his eyes, but it is she who pants, "Robb?"

 _I am nearly naked in Robb Stark's bed. Robb Stark had his mouth on my nipple. Robb Stark is now insanely close to…that._ Myrcella thinks to herself. He is so forceful and deliberate that it shocks her when he stops. She looks down at him and sees a question in his eyes, so she asks, "Robb?"

His voice is ragged when he answers, "Ellie… I want to taste you…here." He says and lets his fingers touch my opening through panties on the last word. My hips lift at his touch, no one has ever touched me there before.

"Please, please Robb" she says, answering the question he didn't ask. her pleas work and her underwear is gone in a moment. He pulls her legs apart wider, looking at her "so beautiful" she hears him say, but then she loses all rational thought when she feels him press a kiss to me "so sweet" he says reverently. She gasps when she feels his tongue on her, focusing on her sensitive nub. She meets his gaze as he kisses her and then she feels a finger tracing her opening and suddenly its in her.

She lets out another gasp as he moves it all the way in and whimper when he takes it out causing him to chuckle. When he returns it is with another finger and she feels herself resisting him, he twirls his tongue deliciously over her and says, "Relax my love… I promise it will be worth it." She melts at his words, at his voice and suddenly he has two fingers in her, pushing them in and out as his tongue focuses elsewhere. She is writhing on the bed by the time he sticks another finger in, letting his thumb play with her nub as he smothers her breasts in kisses. When he nips her nipple her mouth unknowingly takes up a quiet, desperate, chant consisting only of his name. His fingers are now thrusting in and out of her furiously as she finds her hips meeting their rhythm and she finds myself holding his other hand, her nails digging into it.

"That's it my love…just a little bit further now…you're almost ready for me…come for me." His words undo her and she feels the pressure that had been building release in a wave of sensation, and she finds herself calling out to the old gods and the new alike.

Bringing Myrcella to release his like nothing Robb has ever done. He had been with other girls, probably too many, but it had never been like this. He was almost ready to come just watching her and his erection was to the point of painful, but my gods she was beautiful.

She collapses onto the bed, and starts to giggle to herself quietly, stretching out like a cat. He can't help but be pleased with himself.

He kisses her lips, and before he realizes that he still has her on his lips he hears her say "mmm" against his.

"Fuck Myrcella," he says and gets on top of her, his legs on either side holding himself with his elbows. She smiles up at him lazily, still coming down from her orgasm, and he talks to her as he would a child. "We can stop my love, we don't have to … go any further tonight…but if we do we need to stop right now… you're driving me to madness."

In response she looks into his eyes and lets one hand find his cock. She explores it gently, letting her other stroke his balls. His fists clench at her sides and he sees her look of satisfaction at the effect she has. He is about to growl at her but she raises a hand to his jaw, her fingers resting on his cheek and says the most delicious eight words in the common tongue. "I want you to take me Robb. Now."

He needs no more encouragement and takes a hold of himself and poises his cock at her entrance. He rubs her nub as he pushes his way in, hoping that the pleasure of it might relax her, might make it easier. The feeling of her around him is enough to send him into overdrive, but he forces himself to enter her slowly. When he is about half way in, he feels her hands on his hips, pulling her into him and he lets out every expletive he knows when he feels her surround his length. He rests his head in the crook of her neck and grips one of her breasts as he starts to thrust into her slowly. He gets into a rhythm and hears her breath quicken, matching his own. As she gets used to him, she starts to move her hips in sympathy with his, one leg wrapping around his waist. He holds it there, nearly lifts her ass off the bed as he thrusts into her, faster now. She rolls her hips and he knows he doesn't have long. He looks in her eyes and puts a finger to her mouth. She sucks on it and he lets it trail down her body to her nub so he can rub her as he thrusts. Their eyes never leave each other, so he can see when the clouds descend over Myrcella, he can see when she has reached the point of no return, and he thrusts into her once more and falls of the edge with her.


	11. Chapter 11

Myrcella wakes up with a delicious soreness throughout her body. A heavy arm is draped over her stomach, and she reaches down tentatively to stroke the soft hair, marveling at Robb's muscles even in his subdued state. She turns slowly so that she is facing him, taking in his beauty. His perfect lips, red from overuse, his long lashes, too long for any boy to have really, fluttering slightly as he dreamed, his curls in disarray from her attention to them. He lets out a breath that sounds like her name and she feels her heart swell.

Last night had been perfect. She hadn't expected it to happen, though that was probably foolish of her. She had just gotten so used to keeping everyone at arm's length, but with Robb, even the slightest distance was too great. She had remembered his confession to her, that Sansa had told him everything. Until that moment, she wasn't sure what he knew of her time from the war. She had expected him to pity her, had dreaded it really, but he looked at her with reverence and gratitude, for helping Sansa, though she saw his quiet agony simmering underneath.

Protecting Sansa had never been a choice for her. She had always loved her fierce redheaded friend, such a lady but so strong. She had watched that strength be slowly beaten from her, and it caused her more pain than the blows she received at Joffrey's hand and order. And it had been selfish too, Sansa had become her one true friend in the world, she couldn't risk losing her.

Myrcella hadn't realized that her fists had clenched and her eyes had moistened and so caught up in her memories, she hadn't heard Robb stir, nor seen his eyes open. He was on her at once, "Ellie, sweetheart, did I hurt you?"

She could have cried out from the way his strong hands handled her with such delicacy, his fingertips tracing her cheek as his eyes searched hers. But she smiled at him, not wanting to frighten him or dampen their joy from the night before.

"Far from it, Lupe, some memories fought their way in." His face instantly showed his understanding and his anger, so she added in quickly, "But I promise that I have never woken happier than I did today."

He smiles at that, a hint of smugness in his features, which makes her giggle. At the sound of it, she sees his worry subside and he traces down her body. His eyes follow his hands, taking in the love marks he had littered over her body, and he started kissing each one gently.

"Are you sore, my love?" he asks, his head tucked between her breasts.

"Yes," she answers, stretching like a cat, arching her back and feeling him stir, "It's wonderful."

He chuckles into her breast as his hand comes up her thigh, cupping her ass, which makes her moan, before his fingers find her opening.

"God's Myrcella you are so wet" he says with a groan and she feels his fingers enter her.

Her breath hitches, "I've, I've been waiting for you." His hands massage her nub before he rolls himself over, pulling her on top of him.

She feels his hardness against her, still marveling that she could cause that. She starts to grind herself against it and his breath hisses.

"Ride me, Ellie, I want to see you above me." His words undo her and she feels a great feeling of need, but also of embarrassment. "I don't know what to do, Robb…I've never…"

"I know, I know my love," he says as he guides my hand around his cock and positions it at my entrance, "trust me you will find your way, I'll help you."

She lifts her hips to allow him into her, feeling herself tightening around him as she slides down his length and feels the sharp pressure of Robb's fingers pressing into her hip. She takes her time adjusting to his size, before she starts to rock slowly back and forth.

He doesn't know how he got this lucky to find himself inside her again. But whatever it is, he wouldn't question it. Myrcella sat astride him, her delicious cunt wrapped around him, holding one of his hands for support.

He fought the urge to grab hold of her and take her roughly, forced himself to rest his hands on her thigh and her hip as the goddess above him adjusted. But then she rolled her hips just so and he heard himself curse as he grabbed her greedily by her hips, his fingers were sure to leave marks.

In response she put her hands over his, gesturing for him to guide her at his will. He moved her up and down his cock, raising his hips to meet her as she picked up speed. Her arms found his chest, using him for support as her head fell back in pleasure.

He bucked up into her, eliciting a shocked moan from her lips, and her hands went up to her own breasts, massaging them as she said his name.

"Look at me." He heard himself order her. Dreamily she opened her eyes, looking down at him, her blonde curls a dizzying halo. He bucked up into her again, watching her face crumble with each thrust.

She leans down to kiss him as she grinds herself back and forth, he grabs her ass with both hands and she moans into his mouth.

She starts moving on him faster and faster, he no longer needs to guide her. He can tell the moment that she nears her peak, it's written all over her beautiful face.

"That's it my love, come for me… I'm so close….just a little…" and then he thrusts up into her once more and they both collapse in pleasure.

"When do we have to leave today?" Myrcella asks Robb as they lie on their sides, their arms wrapped around each other.

"I don't know… I thought we'd get on the road at 3, sound good?"

 _No_ Myrcella thinks but smiles at him anyway, nodding her approval.

"Is there anything special you want to do today?" He asks her, propping himself up on his elbow so he can look down at her.

 _You_ she thinks as she smiles slyly, making him blush. "You'll be the death of me woman, I know it… anything other than that?"

She giggles pretending to think about it, "I actually thought I'd spend some time with Sansa. She stays here with Bran all the time right?"

He grimaces noticeably. "Yeah, she came to the city a few times but she prefers it here. I think she gets lonely though… with Jon and I going back and forth. Bran is always working on his thesis or with the Reeds. They spend time together of course, but it can't be enough."

 _Well maybe…_ Myrcella thinks but decides not to mention it until she can speak with Sansa, she wouldn't want to get Robb's hopes up.

"Well then I will just have to talk her ear off! Hmm… I wonder what we will talk about?" she teases and taps her finger to her lips as though she's thinking.

His eyes narrow at her, "You wouldn't."

"Wouldn't what Lupe?" she asks the laughter already in her voice.

"Troublemaker!" he growls and attacks her, tickling her stomach and causing her to squeal.

She laughs looking up at him, he looks so much like the boy she knew when he is playful like this. She reaches up to trace his jaw, pulling his smiling lips to hers.

 _The world can wait a little while longer, after all Sansa won't be up for hours…_

Robb still finds himself grinning as he heads out on a run with Grey Wind. He couldn't believe that a week ago, Myrcella had seemed lost to him forever. He had laughed more in the past two days than he had in the previous two months.

She had always been like sunshine, even as a girl, or perhaps especially as one. She had such a wonderful laugh, so full of laughter. Robb smiled as he remembers her father's deep belly laugh, thanking the gods that Myrcella's had inherited neither that nor her mother's mirthless cackle.

Robb slapped himself across the face, cursing himself when he realized he had gone a mile without a thought of anything other than Myrcella. Unfortunately, the thought that first entered his mind next was of Jon and Sansa. Last night he had seen them, both a little bit drunk, and so happy, wander outside. At the time he had been happy for them. It was hard not to be seeing how the interacted with one another.

But now, all he could think about is what this pairing would mean. The War of the Five had started for similar reasons and no one could take that again. Then again, neither Jon nor Sansa planned on stealing a kingdom. They were both prominent figures, it went with the territory of their name, but this wouldn't alter any line of succession. _Here's to small victories,_ he thought sarcastically.

But then he thought how happy Sansa was watching Jon's band play, or how Jon handled her with such care. They were two of his favorite people in the world, two of the only people that mattered to him. He would make himself be okay with this or he would die trying.

Finishing another loop, having completed five miles, he heads to go shower and see if Jon wants to shoot pool or spar.

Freshly showered, wearing jeans and a fuzzy light pink sweater, Myrcella walks carefully up the stairs, taking care not to drop the tray in her hands. She had been looking forward to time with Sansa, and knew that the surest way to avoid her morning grumpiness was to fortify her with coffee and sugar.

Lyla had chuckled warmly when Myrcella told her that, and had piled the tray with a Braavosi Press filled with Vanilla flavored coffee (their favorite), fresh fruit, and chocolate and raspberry filled pastries that were making her stomach growl.

Knowing that there is no way Sansa would choose to be awake at this hour (it was only 10 after all), Myrcella let herself in, pushing the door with her back so that she could hold onto the tray.

"Wake up sleepyhead…" she says as she comes through the door, only to see Jon Targaryen's surprised face and rather naked torso. Mercifully for them both he had grabbed a sheet to cover the rest of him quickly enough.

"Oh my gods! I'm so sorry you guys…I can…um I can go."

She turns around but can hear Sansa giggling as Jon clothes himself, "Close the door Myrcella!" Sansa says.

Closing it with her foot she sets the tray down on Sansa's desk, her back still to them. She puts a hand on her hip and the other cradles her forehead. "Um…you know guys, I'm very supportive of this… but I don't know that I need to be here for…all of it."

At this even Jon chuckles. "You can turn around now, Myrcella."

She turns, making them laugh when her hand is covering her eyes, but her fingers are separated to allow one to peek. Thankfully Jon is now dressed and Sansa has pulled on silk pajama pants and a warm sweater.

"You may want to get back to your room Jon… I think Robb was going to see if you wanted to spar when he gets back from his run."

Jon starts to race out of the room but it stopped as Sansa says, "bup, bup, bup". He looks Myrcella in the eye and blushes before turning around and placing a sweet kiss on Sansa lips. Then he walks towards the door, stealing a piece of fruit, and winks at the girls on his way out.

Setting her tray down on Sansa's coffee table Myrcella pats the couch cushion next to hers. _No wonder she prefers it here, her room is the size of your average two bedroom flat in Wintertown_.

"Tell me everything!" Myrcella giddily demands as she pours coffee for them both.

Hi everyone, thanks for reading! This is my first fanfiction and I'd love to hear what you think. More coming soon.


	12. Chapter 12

Robb knew something happened between Jon and Sansa the moment he saw him. Jon looked guilty. But more than that, he looked as happy as Robb had ever seen them.

 _They are going to have their share of trouble for this, they won't have it from me._

Determined not to let it be uncomfortable, Robb persuaded Jon to the gym in one of the outbuildings. A good sparring session always did them wonders. They were evenly matched, Robb was slightly bigger, Jon was slightly faster, but both had been hardened by war, learning a new kind of stamina that couldn't be taught in the gym.

After they had both won a couple of rounds, Jon's lip was a bit bloody and Robb had a bruise on his right shoulder that he knew would ache for a day or two, they called it quits. Their minds were sharper than they had been when they started, and any awkwardness had been literally beaten out of them.

"How's it going with Mormont?" Robb asks his cousin as they walk back to the main house.

"It's good man, I feel bad, like I should be doing more, be here more, but he insists that he can handle the Night's Watch on his own. ' _He's been doing it for longer than I have been alive in case I had forgotten_ "

Robb smiled, that sounded like the Old Bear. After the war Jon had been released from his vows. Their family had too much to do, and Mormont, though he couldn't care less who was king, knew that the North couldn't rebuild if the Stark family was still fractured.

Jon still helped out, part time. He had a particular knack for training recruits, and he devoted his time as much as he could, always making up for some imagined slight against the gods.

"I'm sure he'd tell us if he needed something… but you guys have done a good job, rebuilding your numbers, restructuring. The Watch is more strongly manned than it has been in decades."

Jon smiled at that, "Thanks to a certain Lord of Winterfell who offered pardons, building supplies, and food to any village that sent men. Oh and the ability to have girlfriends helps too."

Robb shook his head, that had been Bran's idea. _People will help if they feel like they are getting something in return. The old order is gone, let's make the new one work for us all,_ he remembered his little brother advising.

"We should go find Bran before lunch. Make sure he isn't going cross eyed looking at his thesis."

"Or daydreaming about Meera…"

"Did they?"

"No… but you know…"

Robb smiled at that, thinking of his little brother Bran in love. Meera had a different kind of beauty than Sansa and Myrcella, but she was good to her core and a hell of a lot of fun. She would keep Bran guessing, and he had to admit that he liked the idea of his wise brother confused for a change.

They walked in, past the smells of Lyla's cooking and raced up to the library to get their brother, eager for lunch to begin.

Myrcella and Sansa finally emerged from Sansa's bedroom when they heard the heavy footsteps and laughter of Robb and Jon, carrying Bran down the stairs in his chair. Summer barking at them like a mother hen worried for his charge.

Meeting Robb's smiling eyes, she grabbed Sansa's hand to follow the boys to the dining room, smells of a roast beckoning.

As she turns the corner and sees the feast Lyla had prepared she turns to Sansa, "How do you stay so thin with Lyla cooking for you all the time? I swear I have eaten more this weekend than in the past two weeks combined."

Sansa rolls her eyes, "It's easy when you have nothing to do all day but walk and ride horses." And Myrcella can hear the slight edge in her voice, the mix of mourning and yearning Sansa feels when she thinks of days past full of royal dances and studying with her Septa.

"I suppose it is." She says and squeezes her hand gently.

Robb pulls out a chair for her next to him and she smiles at him as she plops down, a kiss to her ear as he pushes her in.

"So," Sansa starts brightly, forcing her anguish away, "who won?"

"He did." Both Jon and Robb say, pointing at the other. Myrcella looks at Jon's bloody lip, sees Robb grab food with his non-sword arm and knows he must be bruised underneath his sweater. Her stomach tightens, thinking of the two of them sparring, and sends a silent prayer to whatever god was listening, that all their practicing would be for naught, and that all they ever had to fear was a purple bruise and a cut lip.

Robb devoured everything that was put in front of him. Most of his meals in the city were business occasions, and though he frequented the best restaurants, nothing compared to the food here, in the company of his siblings and cousin.

He looked over at Myrcella, who ate daintily and plied Bran with questions about his thesis. He could tell that Bran enjoyed the attention, but even more so, he could tell that whatever Myrcella was asking him was not just polite curiosity. The way Bran's eyes sparked and answered her questions slowly meant that she was getting to the heart of the matter.

She really was so much smarter than him, he thought, and smiled because it's what his father used to say about his mother. Robb had seen men who had been intimidated by women's strength, of body, mind, and character, but not his father. He had always said that his mother was his greatest advisor, and whenever he didn't heed her counsel he regretted it.

For a brief moment, he let himself imagine what it would have been like if he had heeded her counsel when Myrcella's father beckoned him to the South. Imagined his father at the head of the table, a place they still left empty when it was just them. When they had other families of the north here, he took that place, it was expected, but amongst his own it had never felt right.

Robb was startled out of his thoughts when he heard Sansa say to Jon, "Well you can give it back at dinner on Thursday."

He looked at Jon curiously, knowing that he had a meeting in the city on Friday. "Are you staying here until then?"

It was Myrcella who answered. "No, Robb…we talked about it while you two were pummeling each other. Sansa is going to come to the city on Wednesday to stay with me."

Robb was speechless, he looked at Myrcella who smiled at him reassuringly before his gaze turns to Sansa, who was smiling ear to ear.

"I'm so excited, I haven't been in ages!" she gushed to Myrcella, "You have to take me to the Wintertown Hotel"

Myrcella laughed and agreed, "Of course! Barristan would be delighted to see you, and he's been having his staff perfect the Lemon Drop Gimlet, after you started a trend for them down south."

Sansa giggled, "Perfect, and maybe Marg will be there! I haven't seen her in ages, wouldn't that be great?"

Robb sees Myrcella stiffen, the giggle gone from her voice, "Great" she says, but Robb can tell her heart isn't in it.

He turns to her, a question in his gaze but she ignores him, taking a sip of water before turning to Jon and asking him all about Mormont, and whether the Old Bear lives up to his name.

Robb is much chattier on the drive home, and Myrcella's body hums at the comfort they suddenly have with one another. Grey Wind is in the back, and she can hear his steady breathing, as content as she is to be driven by Robb. One of his hands rests on the wheel, the other in her lap holding her own.

They talk about nothing in particular, the words of the last 6 years tumbling out of them all at once. He tells her about the men he fought with, the outrageous stories that had been told by campfire, no one caring whether they had any truth of them. She told him about the Summer Isles, how the people there had marveled at her blonde curls and called her the Sunshine Princess.

About an hour outside the city, his face turns serious and he says, "I have to thank you, for convincing Sansa to come to the city."

"It was her idea, Robb…" Myrcella said. Sansa had asked her that morning, after a cup of coffee and a pastry had secured her spirits.

"Her idea? But…" and he trails off confusing Myrcella.

"Yes, she said she didn't want to intrude but wanted to come if I'd let her stay. We've been apart for so long…I don't think we realized how much we missed each other until we saw each other again."

"No…no I guess not." He said, and sounded so distant that Myrcella sat silently, wondering what she had said to make him so upset.

By the gods, Robb thought. Had Myrcella been the key all along? How many times had he or Jon tried to persuade Sansa to the city, promising her museums and shopping and all of the fanciest restaurants? He had even offered to take her to the ballet, remembering how much she loved it before the war. Sansa had come a few times, in the first few months when she was still malleable, still so afraid of disappointing one of them. But as she grew stronger, she had insisted on staying at Winterfell, so neither of them pushed it.

He looked at Myrcella, this girl who had jumped at his touch two days before, but was such a pillar for his sister. What had they endured together that bound them so? He knew the stories of the beatings, they were ingrained into his memories, branded into his core. He knew they had both been tormented, both prisoners of Myrcella's kin. But he couldn't help thinking they had both suffered worse, that they carried wounds only the other could see.

He saw that Myrcella was looking at him warily, and realized how angry he had sounded a minute ago. He let's go of her hand and strokes her cheek, his stomach aching with how she tilts her cheek into his hand at his touch.

"Forgive me, Ellie. I keep underestimating your bond with her. It is something I don't entirely understand, but it makes me wish, not just for my sake, that I had found you sooner."

Myrcella takes his hand and kisses his knuckles. "I love how you love her," she says.

"I could say the same thing." He returns lightly.

"No I mean it," she says after pressing a kiss into his palm. She can't meet his eye now and he is forced to look back at the road, the snow dissipating as they near the city. "This world would be a different place if everyone loved their sister as you do."

He knows she is thinking of her own older brother and he finds that he can't argue with her, so they sit in silence, until they are surrounded by the lights of the city.


	13. Chapter 13

Before Myrcella knows, it is Wednesday afternoon. She is so excited for her friend to arrive, that the day passes by in a whirl. At 6, she grabs her coat and locks up the gallery, her nude heels clacking on the pavement as she walks the short distance to the Wintertown Hotel. She smiles at the staff, all loyal to Barristan and thus to her.

As she turns the corner into the famous oak bar, she is caught off guard by the sound of Barristan's deep, warm chuckle. She is delighted to see the familiar red hair of Sansa Stark, pulled up into a sky high pony tail, silver dangly earrings hanging from her ears.

Barristan's eyes crinkle when they see her and Sansa turns, a smile on her lips. Myrcella kisses Sansa's cheek as she slides onto the bar stool next to hers, Barristen already mixing her gin martini.

"What's so funny, getting a laugh from this one is like cutting water from stone…" she asks a smile in her voice.

"I was telling him about our victory over the boys during our card game."

"A defeat so great, it shall never be repeated again." Myrcella says in faux-solemnity, which makes her old knight laugh again.

He walks away, to check on a few things and to leave the girls on their own, confident that his little doe is in good company once again.

Sansa turns to Myrcella, "Okay Ellie, what is on the agenda for the evening?"

Deadpan, Myrcella returns, "Destruction, what else?" and sees the redhead's eyes glitter, "Perfect" she replies and the two clink glasses.

Robb is in a business meeting that just won't seem to end when his phone bleeps, signaling a message. Letting the old man at the other end of the table drone on he checks it, seeing it's from Sansa.

He is greeted with a picture of his sister and his…Ellie (what were they two each other at this point, he thought absentmindedly), smiling widely, their cheeks pressed up against one another. He could see the dew on their skin and the brightness in their eyes and knew that the two of them must be somewhere dancing. By gods what time is it? He thought and saw that it was nearing 11. He reads the text that came along with the picture, "Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

He smirks, thinking about the trouble they must be causing. Not a moment later he gets a screenshot from Jon. It's the same picture and is followed by a message saying: "Did you get this? Where are they? Let's go."

Smart girls, he thinks to himself. When they call they know we will come, how could we resist? And more importantly, why would we want to?

He texts Jon to pick him up in a taxi, thinking of a way to extricate himself gracefully from the crone in front of him.

What feels like ages later, Robb eases himself into the taxi. Jon looks anxious but excited and Robb smiles, thinking that it is how he would feel if he hadn't spent the last two nights in Myrcella's arms. Whatever issues Jon and Sansa would face, a lack of affection certainly wouldn't be one of them.

"Where to?" the driver asks impatiently.

"Wintertown Hotel" Robb returns and looks over at Jon, "And for his sake, make it quick." There was only one place they could be.

Beneath the dignified bar of the Wintertown Hotel, there is an enormous underground club. The businessmen have their meetings sitting in the dignified lobby, sipping their whiskey, but their children come here for this.

The whole place is sound proof, you would never guess what lay below unless you already knew. And Myrcella Baratheon would be a founding member of this underground order, if one existed.

It had been her idea after all, she had told Barristan when he brought her down here for the first time, wondering what to do with it. She had told him that the children of the war needed a place to come and forget and he had made one. Dark without being dingy, busy without being crowded, it was an oasis where some went to be seen, and others went to disappear.

She and Sansa had found a spot in the middle of the dance floor and she was surprised that the same protective magic from the club in Winterfell held strong here. The two girls danced to everything that came blaring through the speakers, catharsis in every step.

The picture had been Sansa's idea and Myrcella had agreed happily. She couldn't begrudge her friend's desire to see her brother or her boyfriend (Is that what Sansa and Jon were now?) Myrcella wanted them there too.

In between songs Sansa turned to her "How will they know where to find us?" but Myrcella turn to Sansa and repeated what the redheaded girl had told her in "The boys will come because this is where we are. For now just believe that."

Sansa laughed as she recognized her own words, and satisfied started to dance again.

Robb and Jon stepped into the oak bar, scanning the crowd for the girls.

Jon turns to him, "This place is cool, you been here before?"

"Only once," Robb says, looking and failing to see the familiar blond curls or red waves.

He sees Barristan and walks over to him. "Evening sir," and holds out his hand.

The old knight takes it and smiles, "You brought the little doe back in one piece I see."

Jon seems surprised, and introduces the two, can see Jon's immediate respect. The old man is a legend in his own right.

"Sansa came to visit Myrcella today, have they been in here? I would have thought this would be the first place they would come."

"Aye, they were here" Barristan says and starts walking away from them, beckoning them to follow.

He takes them through the bar and lobby and into a library. He gets to a side table and pushes a paperweight.

Robb and Jon hear something unlock and all of a sudden, music enters the room. They look at each other, officially intrigued. The old knight smiles at them, "Have fun down there…but not too much." And shakes his head as the two boys nearly tackle each other heading for the hidden door.

Myrcella is dancing, the hem of her long sleeved light blue mini dress raising with her as she raises her arms. She feels the caress of the silk against her skin as she moves.

Sansa's dress stays put - it's practically painted on. Silver and short, it seems to illuminate her entire being. Myrcella is about to defend her friend when she sees a pair of arms circle her slim waist. But then she sees Jon's familiar face come into focus as he kisses Sansa's cheek. The look of pure joy on Sansa's face brings a smile to her own, and Myrcella watches as her friend turns in Jon's arms, half dancing, half hugging him.

Myrcella looks around, knowing Robb can't be far behind. She turns and sees him on the edge of the crowd, clearly the boys had split up in an effort to find them. She crosses over to him, so that she ends up behind him. She covers his eyes with her hands, feeling him tense underneath them. She stands on her tiptoes to put her lips to his ear, "Looking for someone?" and feels him relax at her voice.

He takes her hands from his eyes gently, pulling them down and turning to face her. He leans into kiss her and she wraps her arms around his neck. When they break apart, they are both grinning like idiots and wordlessly she leads him back into the throngs of people. Near but not next to Jon and Sansa, letting them have their reunion away from the watchful gaze of Sansa's brother. She feels Robb's arms encircles her waist, and she leans back against him, her head tilting back and her hands resting on his own as she lets Robb and the music guide her.

Robb thanks the gods that it is dark in this club. Normally he wouldn't hold Myrcella like this in public. With her backed flush against him, he can't help but hold her tighter. Her perfect ass rests against his cock and her hair tickles his cheek and he would take her now if he could.

He looks around though, breaking from their own little world, and sees many couples in the same position. Some he knew had probably just met this evening, and they all reveled in the anonymity of the darkness.

She grinds her ass against him and he growls in her ear making her giggle. "Are you toying with me, Ellie?" he says in her ear. In response she grinds into him again and he feels himself holding onto her for support.

Fuck she really would be the death of him, he thought, but what a way to go.

The next day, Myrcella closes the gallery early and meets Sansa back at her townhouse. As she walks in the door, her arms holding a bag of groceries she smiles when she sees Sansa singing to herself in the kitchen as she slices peppers. A bottle of wine already opened.

Myrcella sets the grocery bag down and Sansa hands her a glass, a huge smile on her face. "Have I told you yet how much I love this house? How many floors is it, five?"

Myrcella smiles, "Yes, and thank you. Did your room have everything you need? I wasn't sure how much you'd bring with you so I wanted to make sure that you have enough toiletries."

Sansa rolls her eyes kindly, "I'll say, you got all my favorites!"

Relieved Myrcella starts to chop as well, turning on the stove so that she can sauté the onions and garlic. Sansa flicks on the radio and the two set out in companionable silence.

As they are setting the table, dinner keeping warm in the oven, Myrcella bucks up the courage. "Sansa…Robb mentioned that you haven't been to the city lately…"

The redheaded girl pauses, making herself busy folding the napkins just so.

"I don't want to pry of course, but…"

"You could never. No I haven't been here lately. I came a few times after the war, but I always felt so unsure here, I yearned for the comfort of Winterfell and I hated knowing that Robb felt like he had to take care of me here."

As gently as she can, Myrcella says, "Robb's your brother, he loves you. There isn't going to be a moment in your life that he doesn't feel like he needs to take care of you…that's who he is."

Sansa smiles sadly, "I know. He's so good. But I could see the worry in his eyes and hated the idea of making him feel guilty. At Winterfell at least, he knew I was safe and he knew that I knew I was."

Myrcella smiles, "You certainly seemed safe last night… in Jon's arms…but even before that…you didn't seem scared at all, just happy."

Sansa looks at her, "You always said it, we're stronger together."

Myrcella smiles, a plan hatching her mind, "You know…" and when she looks into Sansa's eyes, she knows that her friend has already caught on.

Robb pulls up in front of Myrcella's townhouse and smiles. It really is the perfect house for her, exuding warmth and understated elegance. He opens the door, Grey Wind in tow, who already knows the way after spending the past couple nights here.

He knocks, knowing it would be locked and he is greeted at the door by Sansa who pulls him in for a hug before leaning down to kiss Grey Wind's head.

He is surprised to see Jon already here, settled onto one of Myrcella's cream colored couches, a bottle of The Crow in his hands as he sits by the fire. Delicious smells waft from the kitchen and Robb smiles gratefully at Sansa as she hands him a beer. She settles in next to Jon who hesitates briefly, smiling guiltily at Robb, before putting his arm around her.

Myrcella is no where to be found, but as Grey Wind has disappeared as well, he knows she must still be in the kitchen, putting final preparations on the meal. He looks around the great room, and thinks as he had a few nights prior when he first came here, how much of Myrcella he can see the in the decorations. He never cared for decorating, his own penthouse was fairly sparse, but he could see her in every detail. From the art that he knew was priceless that hung on her walls, to the hand knit blankets draped over the couches and chairs. He was struck again that there were no personal photographs strewn about, the great room at Winterfell was littered with them.

Before he can think too long on it, Myrcella comes into the room, wearing a navy blue dress, her hair pulled up high exposing her elegant neck. Her face breaks into a smile when she sees him and she comes over and kisses him lightly, her lips taste like Dornish wine and her.

"Dinner is ready," she says as she takes him by the hand and leads him into the dining room, Sansa and Jon at their heels. Grey Wind and Ghost by the fire.

"My gods it's a feast!" Jon exclaims and Robb can hear his own stomach rumble. Myrcella and Sansa look anxious, as they all sit down.

Myrcella serves them all before taking her own place, the consummate hostess.

Robb raises his glass in a toast, "To all of you – may the gods keep you well, and always by my side" "And you," they all chorused before drinking.

The moment had come, Robb cuts a piece of chicken and raises it to his lips. Chewing and swallowing thoughtfully, he looks at Sansa's and Myrcella's eager faces, neither had touched their plate.

He meets Jon's eye and says, "Oh no…"

Jon catching on says, "I know…" then wanting to put the girls out of their misery, finishes, "how are we going to tell Lyla she is out of a job?"

Myrcella lets out a giggle and Sansa admonishes them playfully, "You devils! You see if we ever cook for you again…" but Jon is too busy scarfing his meal to respond and Robb meets his sister's eye in a smile.

After dinner, Sansa and Myrcella sit on the couch, glasses of wine in hand, wolves at their feet. Robb and Jon had insisted on cleaning up and neither of the girls protested. The fire crackled and Myrcella listened to Sansa as she told her about a charity that she had started in her sister's honor, teaching little girls self-defense. Eagerly Myrcella listened, always ready for a new cause and ready to take up this one.

By the time the boys came in the girls were sitting in companionable silence as they had so many times before. Robb and Jon sat in the chairs that faced the couch.

Jon said to them, "So when do we head back to Winterfell?"

Myrcella felt her heart soar at that. She knew that Robb wanted to be with her, and Sansa as well, but this was the first time Jon seemed to imply that she was part of their little group, their family.

"Actually…" Sansa starts and Myrcella sits up straighter, knowing what she is leading towards and preparing for a fight, "I need to talk to you guys about that."

The two boys focused on Sansa, "What is it San?" Robb asked, and Myrcella could hear an edge to his voice.

"I've decided… to move here," she continued.

"Move where? To Wintertown? That's great! I have tons of room," Robb said.

"Well actually…" Sansa said and Myrcella saw Robb's jaw tighten.

"You're moving in with him?" he said, gesturing at Jon.

Sansa rolled her eyes at Robb, "Obviously not, do you see how surprised he is? I could knock him over with a feather right about now and you ask me if we are moving in together?" which caused Myrcella to stifle a giggle. It comes out like a snort and she covers her mouth.

"I'm moving in here, with Ellie."

Myrcella sees that Robb looks confused, but relieved. No matter if he had given his approval of Jon and Sansa's relationship, she knew he didn't want them shacking up together anytime soon.

It is Jon who cuts in, his voice tortured, "San, you have to tell us what happened."

Myrcella knows the question he didn't ask immediately: What happened to you guys that you are so close? Why is the pull so strong even now that you feel safer with this girl then the you do with me?

Myrcella feels ice in her heart and hears Sansa's voice shake as she says, "What do you mean, you know what happened."

Robb is with him now, "No, you've told us some of it but not everything. What happened to you guys."

Myrcella can feel the tears coming, but is determined to hold them back as long as possible. She knows that once they hear everything, she'll lose them.

"No, you've told us some of it but not everything. What happened to you guys." Robb asks, his voice sounding like it's coming from the grave.

The girls have curled in on themselves, and moved closer to one another. He can envision them now, how they must have looked in King's Landing, making themselves as small as they can while still protecting the other.

His fear is mirrored in Jon's features, he knows he must be thinking the same thing.

He sees the girls share a look, a silent conversation passing between them as they determine who will speak first. Sansa loses. Myrcella looks at him and he can see a farewell in her eyes.

"We had just dropped off Tommen at the river, to bid his ship farewell on his way to Dorne."

Robb's stomach lurches and he hears Jon asks the question in his mind, "The Riot of King's Landing? You were there?"

Sansa's jaw sets and she looks into the fire, and starts,

"Aye, we were there. I was the King's betrothed, and she their sister. Where else would we be? We were riding back from the river, the Queen mother had insisted we all take carriages 'so that the people might see our glory'. We came to a large crowd, the kingsguard ordered them to separate but they stood strong. One through dung at Joffrey – which was oddly satisfying for a moment. But then he emerged from the carriage, fire in his eyes and screamed, "Kill them. Kill them all."

Jon and he sat there listening, silently urging her to go on.

Sansa continued, "So the crowd turned on us, and mine and Myrcella's carriage was tipped."

For the first time since Sansa had started talking, Robb looks at Myrcella. She looked so young and frightened and his heart broke in two. He addresses her calmly, "Myrcella, were you hurt?"

She looks at him and her face is like stone, her eyes snapping into focus and she lets out a short, mirthless laugh. "Me? Hurt? Are you kidding, I was the princess. Whatever they might do in private at my darling brother's command, in public I was the King's sister."

Robb feels relieved, but knows that the worst can't be over, "So what happened?"

Robb is surprised when he sees Sansa grab Myrcella's hand, holding it as she speaks to her soothingly, "You did everything you could."

He watches as Myrcella crumbles, silent tears running down her face and is more confused than ever.

I'm going to lose him, Myrcella thinks as the tears fall, remembering that awful day. Her heart breaks all over again as Sansa grabs her hand, whispering reassuring things, comforting her, all the while Myrcella knows that Sansa should hate her.

"Not enough," Myrcella says.

Robb's voice is harsher than she has ever heard it when he says, "Somebody tell me what the fuck happened." His words strike her like a blow.

Sansa answers for them both. "Our carriage was tipped, and we were separated. The crowd was on us so fast. I saw the minister torn limb from limb with bare hands."

"I left you," Myrcella says and she feels so ashamed. She can feel three sets of eyes on her but Sansa grabs her hands.

"Myrcella, you were in the middle of a crowd screaming for your head, men arguing over who would be the first to rape the princess, and you were dragged away kicking and screaming by two King's guards. You gave Meryn a black eye and kicked Ilyn in his groin as you fought your way back to your death to save me. It was you who got the Hound's attention, who told him where I was, who threatened to burn the rest of him if I came back in anyway harmed."

Myrcella sits there surprised, wondering who had told Sansa what had happened during their separation. She knows that she had fought, but not hard enough. Sansa had been her family's prisoner, but they abandoned her like a dog at the first sign of danger. She had wished that she had been strong, had been a fighter who could have held her ground when she was carried to safety while her friend lay vulnerable to the mob.

"Sansa, what happened?" and Myrcella can hear the fear and anguish in Robb's voice.

She watches as Sansa meets her big brother's eye. She watches as the tears start to fall, "I…I was cornered by three men…I tried to fight them, like Arya would have…like you would have wanted me to…but I was too weak, there were too many…"

"By the gods…" Robb curses and crosses the room in two strides. Myrcella gets up from the couch so that Robb can take her place as he pulls his sister in his arms.

Myrcella watches as he rocks Sansa, who looks so small beside him. She hears every other word that Sansa says, "I wasn't…they didn't…the Hound" and Myrcella backs away as she watches the two Stark siblings hold each other and mourn for all the things they almost lost, and all of the things they did.

She doesn't see Jon approach her but when he does she is afraid to meet his gaze.

"I owe you an apology," he says, and Myrcella can hear the pain in his voice.

"N-" Myrcella starts but he cuts her off.

"I was skeptical, when Robb says he found you. I was skeptical even though I had seen you as a girl, seen the goodness in you. I was afraid that the war, all the time with your family, when we were your sworn enemies would have changed you. I punished you for the sins of your family."

Myrcella looks at him sadly, "How could you not?"

He takes her face in his hands, "Never again, do you hear me? You saved Sansa a thousand times, you saved her until we could. You will never be alone again, you will never be harmed again, do you understand? You will have my devotion and protection until my last breath."

Myrcella feels herself crumble at the earnestness in his gaze, and when the tears fall again he pulls her into his arms, and she knows that he will hold her until they stop. This must be what it feels like to have a real brother, she thinks as she wraps her arms around him and surrenders herself to his strength.


	14. Chapter 14

It must be hours later when Robb finally climbs the stairs to Ellie's bedroom. He feels the weight of the night on him as he drags himself up to the third floor.

He had stayed holding his sister for hours, until both of their tears had dried. He had seen out of the corner of his mind Jon holding Ellie, his grip full of thanks and apologies and promises of loyalty. He had wanted to go to her as well, down on his knees and thanking her as the devoted do the gods, but he couldn't. He had waited years to hear this last secret from his sister and when he finally had he couldn't bear to be parted from her.

He remembered how grateful he was that Ellie had emerged from the war in tact, and now he was doubly so. To think of his sister at the mercy of a mob, abandoned by her captors made him want to start a war all over again, but there were no Lannisters left to wage it against.

He came into Ellie's room quietly. He saw her asleep in the middle of the bed, covers pulled up to her cheek, holding Grey Wind like he was a stuffed animal. She looked so young, this must be how they had looked when he had guarded her as a child.

Robb removed his jeans and sweater, and in his boxers walked over to the bed, careful not to wake them. He went to Grey Wind first, stroking his beast's head, silently thanking him for taking care of her. He crossed until he was on the empty side of the bed and pulling back the covers eased in as gently as he could. Ellie stirred anyway, "Robb?"

"Yes, my love, it's me, go back to sleep." In truth he yearned for it as well. He yearned not to think, to dream of a better world in which they had never left Winterfell.

He pressed his lips to the back of her head, and found her hair wet, she must have showered, desperate to clean away the memories. At this thought, he pulled her close, smiling when he felt her flannel pajamas (she usually was in silk and lace when they were in bed together, if anything). He found he was holding onto her like she was a life raft.

The four of them never spoke of that night again. They all had the answers that they needed and the boys respected that the girls wanted to leave it in the past, contented in their safety and happiness. But all the same, they were afterwards inseparable.

Sansa and Myrcella proved to be perfect roommates. Myrcella the early riser, rubbed off on her friend and had instilled the virtues of the early morning run. This was helped of course that Barristan always had vanilla lattes waiting for them when they stopped by the hotel on their way back. He had extended the privilege of them to Sansa, "and only to Sansa". Robb and Jon practically lived there as well, and so too their direwolves. The wolves liked to accompany the girls on their runs, which made Robb and Jon less afraid when the girls took off in the early morning. But Sansa also rubbed off on Myrcella, it wasn't strange for them to be out dancing until daybreak, sometimes joined by Robb, or Jon or both.

Sansa split her time helping Myrcella at the gallery, she had knack for selling and the two went out on adventures throughout the city, scouting for new talent to fill their exhibition calendar. Robb and Jon worked all hours of the day at times, as the business was in touch with every corner of the world, someone was always awake that wanted to speak with them.

All the while Jon recruited for the Night's Watch. Myrcella found out that it was no longer manned by criminals, trying to escape prison or punishment, but rather it was seen as a calling again, a civic duty that many were happy to fulfill.

And there was at least a banners event a week. Myrcella met more northerners in one month than she had in two years of living in Wintertown. She danced with Lord Umber at the Feast of Thanks. She played hide and go seek with Lord Glover's children. To Robb's surprise she had even made Lord Karstark laugh at the banquet just the night before.

And all the while, she was falling deeper and deeper in love with Robb Stark. She hadn't said it, neither of them had, but she could feel it in every fiber of her being. They had date nights, away from her Jon and Sansa, long walks through the city, trips to the farmers market (he preferred her cooking to dinners out and had insisted she teach him). He spent almost every night in her bed, and she relished learning his body, learning different ways to pleasure him. He seemed to never tire of her, they would fall into bed after a long day of meetings and he would still pull her to him, a new life in him at the touch of her skin.

Their weekends were spent at Winterfell, with Bran and Summer. Despite the joys of the city, they were all happier there. Every Friday they would pile into their cars, sometimes Myrcella would travel up with Sansa and Jon if Robb were traveling. She left clothes there, in Robb's room, now theirs, and life fell into a routine of happiness that none of them had felt in years.

"It will be fine," Robb heard himself soothingly, though not believing it.

Myrcella wasn't fooled either. She stood in the kitchen, a hand on her hip, flour on her cheek with a sternness so unlike her he would have laughed if he weren't so petrified.

"Fine…" she breathes out. "Fine." She repeats, saying it as if testing it out in her mind.

"Myrcella you've handled worse than this, I'll be by your side the whole time."

She goes back to stirring the pancake batter with a new ferociousness. Robb runs his hands through his hair and comes up behind her gently. He takes the whisk from her, "I uh…think it's ready love…"

"You make one roast chicken and suddenly you're some famous chef." She says haughtily but he can hear the smile in her voice.

He relaxes into her, breathing in her peppermint soap and batter, his head in the crook of her neck, littering kisses up and down as he feels her shoulders loosen.

"That's not fair," she says as her fingers grip Robb's arm.

"I don't have to be fair," he says as he turns her around.

Taking Myrcella's face in his hands, he looks in her eyes for the first time and sees the real fear that is resting there.

"Trust me, Ellie, you have encountered worse than my sister."

She raises her eyebrow at him, fair enough he thinks.

"You will win her over, like you have everyone else. They all love you, and so will she, but no more than I do."

He sees her eyebrow rise slightly at that before she forces it back down, her face a porcelain mask. It was the first time he had almost said it to her. He had been thinking it for a months, sure that it was clear to everyone around him, including her, but for some reason he hadn't told her yet.

Looking at her now, he felt like such a fool for wasting his time.

"I love you, Myrcella Baratheon. I am yours for as long as you'll have me."

She kisses him, and he finds he hasn't gotten used to the sensation of her lips on his. When she finally pulls away from him, she looks at him and says, "I love you, Robb Stark, always have, always will" then she looks up at him slyly, "So much so, that I'll even suck up to your sister."

He laughs at that, as she pours the first pancake in the pan and he litters it with blueberries, and reassures himself this time, that everything will be fine.

Myrcella stopped into the Wintertown Hotel the following day to see Barristen, and was surprised when she saw Jon.

"Hi Ellie," he says as he kissed her cheek. He had picked up the nickname from spending so much time with Robb and Sansa.

"Jon, Barristen, what brings two of my favorite men together on a Tuesday afternoon?"

Myrcella can swear she notices them share a look, but Jon turns to her and just says, "I had a meeting in the area, thought I'd stop in for a drink. Can you join me?"

She plops down, "Yes please, I think I need one."

Barristen starts to make her martini and gestures to Jon, "Would you like another, or maybe a shot from the Summer Isles?" which makes Myrcella crack up.

Jon narrows his eyes at her playfully, "You told him?"

She shrugs her shoulders saying, "I mean it could have been anyone really…"

He laughs as she raises her drink to her lips, relishing the burn the first step always brings.

"So why the need for alcohol, little doe?"

"Well I'm officially unemployed, isn't this what unemployed people do?"

Jon turns to her, "The gallery? What happened?"

"Jeyne's mother isn't getting better, she's decided to close the gallery and move back there full time. I feel awful for her, but don't know how I can help."

"You could buy it…" Barristen suggests.

Myrcella looks thoughtfully, "I suppose so, but I had really just been doing this as a favor to Jeyne. I love art, that hasn't changed… but I don't know, I think it's time to do something more."

"More what?" Jon asks as he sips his beer.

"I don't know, more important. I look at what you and Robb do, what you have done for the Night's Watch and feel like I should be contributing more."

"You're contributing enough." Barristen admonishes her.

She shoots him a look and says quickly, "I don't mean like that."

Jon looks between the old knight and Myrcella, "What do you mean?"

She shoots Barristen a look but he ignores her,"This girl has been funding the rebuilding of the south since the war ended."

She turns to Jon, "Before you say anything, it's not what you think. I'm not gathering banners or anything, I'm not trying to rebuild it in the manner of the Iron Throne or Red Keep. I just…there are good people there, honest, hard working. I just have been providing contributions for some small projects rebuilding schools and reenergizing the agriculture."

"It's been you the whole time? Since the war ended? We've been trying to trace the money."

Now Myrcella is confused, "What do you mean? Why?"

Jon shakes his head, and she can see his mind retracing the last two years.

"We didn't think it would really be over. After everything, we thought that some Southern house would try and be kings of the ruins. Westoros had become and ouroboros and we weren't sure that it was finished. So we started looking, we saw money coming into different villages, we've been trying to figure it out ever since. By the gods you're good at hiding, aren't you?"

Myrcella shifts uncomfortably in her seat, "I did develop a knack for it, yes. But only out of necessity, I promise I'm not planning anything."

He rolls his eyes at her as if to say _obviously_ and then he laughs, shaking his head as he takes a sip of beer. "Robb is not going to believe this, he'll be so relieved that it was one of us the whole time."

Myrcella relaxes then scoots a bit closer to Jon. She rests her arm on his shoulder leaning on it and looking up at him daintily, "Then, um, Jon, can you do me a favor?"

He looks down at her, his eyes crinkling, "Anything Ellie, what do you need?"

She looks at him, half slyly half nervously, "Could you maybe put in a good word for me with Arya?"


	15. Chapter 15

On Saturday morning, Robb wakes up in Winterfell with Myrcella draped over his body. He rolls them over so that she is on her back so that he can look at her. Her beautiful face so peaceful in sleep, her elegant neck, her creamy shoulders.

Without thinking about it, he trails his hand underneath the covers, wandering over her breast, her nipple hardening under his touch, down her smooth stomach, until he finds her opening.

He sees her stir slightly, and he scoots down the bed, pulling one of her legs up so he can get in between then. He presses his lips to her warm, wet cunt and feels his cock twitch. He kisses her again, letting his tongue run over her. When he places a finger in her he feels her hands in his hair, clearly now having woken up.

He curls his finger in her as he licks her nub, encouraged by her moans. He places another finger in her and starts to slowly and deliberately move them in and out. He reaches his other arm up to cup one of her breasts. Her leg juts out as he tweaks one of her nipples, and he feels his own erection becoming almost painful.

He keeps up his rigorous attention and he can feel when she reaches her peak. Her stomach starts to rise and fall more quickly and he can feel her tighten deliciously around his fingers. He moans against her and his sound of desire mixed with the vibrations undo her and she collapses in a fit of pleasure.

He removes his fingers from her and kisses his way up, resting between her breasts for a moment before finding her mouth. She opens hers greedily and his arms come around her as he crushes her to him.

She must feel him against her because she rolls them over so that she is on top. He thinks she means to ride him, which he would have welcomed whole heartedly, he loved watching her above him. But instead she kissed her way down his body.

Without warning he felt her lips around his tip, and Robb could have come right then. She lets her tongue roll over it and he can see stars.

"Gods, Myrcella…"

Encouraged, she takes him deeper in her mouth, as she explores him with her tongue. She takes up a steady rhythm and Robb now finds his fingers in her hair. He fights the urge to press her further against him, but finds he doesn't need to as she takes him in, all the way to his hilt, before letting her tongue trail back up him.

Knowing he doesn't have long he pulls her up, flips her so she is on her stomach and pulls her roughly to him. He kisses her back as he enters her, and they let out a mutual moan as he thrusts.

He takes her more roughly than he should, his hands on her hips, pulling her closer and closer with every thrust. And Ellie, his beautiful, sweet, graceful princess, pushes back against him and begs for more.

"I think you've ruined me, Robb Stark." Myrcella says to Robb when they are lying there, naked and satisfied.

He kisses her shoulder, making Myrcella's insides flutter and looks up at her dreamily, "And what, pray tell, have I ruined you for my love?"

"The other great loves of my life, obviously, how will they ever compare?" she asks and can hardly finish as he attacks her sending her into a fit of giggles.

He looks into her eyes, with a seriousness that hadn't been there a moment ago. He kisses her deeply and when he pulls away from her Myrcella could swear there were stars in her eyes.

He strokes her face and says to her earnestly, "Then I have done my duty, for they could cut my heart out, and would find your name carved there."

He reaches around her and opens the drawer to his bedside table, his hands going back to her waist. Propping himself up he looks down at her and then she sees the box in his hand. When he opens it, it reveals a perfect diamond ring, and Myrcella can hear her heart beating.

"Myrcella Baratheon…" he starts taking her hand in his, "You have ruined me for all others, all possibilities, all fates that aren't you. Would you do me the great honor, of being my wife?"

Myrcella can hear herself saying yes, watching as Robb grins and slides the ring on her finger as though she is watching it from afar. It is only when he pulls her to him and kisses her, and she can feel the tears on both of their cheeks that she knows that it is real, and that after all this time, she will truly be his.

Robb finds that he can't stop holding Myrcella's left hand, feeling the comforting weight of his ring.

He hadn't planned to propose to her in bed, after rather vigorous lovemaking. He had planned to take her riding, to the clearing where they had had their first kiss. He had wanted to get down on one knee and tell her all the reasons he loved her, all the things he wanted for their future.

But he had seen her, breathless from laughter, and so beautiful it made his heart ache and couldn't wait a moment longer.

He wasn't sure if it would make the events of the day easier or harder, but he was comforted at least to know that no matter what happened, Myrcella would know how badly he wanted to be bound to her.

He smiled at her as he watched her dress, which was somehow just as endearing as watching her undress. She was wearing dark blue jeans and a fuzzy cream turtleneck, and he knew she had chosen her outfit appropriately. Everything about her was soft and warm and non-threatening, and she did well not to choose grey, Arya would see through that in a moment.

She catches his eye and he looks at her reassuringly, holding his hand out to her. He feels hers shake just a little as he encloses it, and brings it to his lips.

"Try to relax, Ellie. Maybe it will be fine." He says as he leads her out of their room and down the stairs.

She looks at him and says, "I'm to be your wife, Robb. Everything will be more than fine". He smiles at her courage as he leads her outside.

They join Sansa, Jon, and Bran who have lined up, waiting for the girl with the dark brown hair coming down the driveway.

Her fingers hold onto Robb's tightly, the courage that she had shown him a moment ago receding as the silver Mercedes comes down the driveway. She feels pressure at her side and looks down to see Grey Wind there, only slightly in front of her as though getting ready to pounce. Her fingers find his head and strokes it in gratitude for his loyalty.

Myrcella didn't know what she expected of Arya Stark, but whatever it was, it was not the stoic beauty that stood before them. She had remembered a scrawny girl, all tangled hair and knobby knees who had shot an arrow better than her brothers and run circles around her parents. She remembered a girl who had stood up to Joffrey, something most grown men had been afraid to do.

The girl standing in front of them had the same dark brown hair, but she was taller now, and less scrawny. Myrcella could tell that her body, though slender and lovely, was used as a tool rather than ornament. She was darker, more like Jon, and she looked like a picture she had seen in her father's study.

The severity that Myrcella had expected was not found in Arya's exuberant greeting to her family. She jumped into Jon's arms, hugging him fiercely. Next was Bran, she kissed him sweetly on the cheek and whispered something that made him laugh. Then Sansa and her hugged, and Myrcella could tell that the war had changed their relationship, drawn them closer than they had been as children. She then turn to Robb and he pulled her to him. Myrcella could see how Arya sunk into his embrace, and Myrcella was touched to see again to see the power he wielded. He had rallied an army, he had fought for each and every one of them, he was everything a big brother should be and they worshipped him for it.

When they finally pull apart, Myrcella straightens, feeling Grey Wind press himself further against her. She holds out her hand for Arya to shake, but Arya just looks at it.

All of the lightness Arya had exhibited with her siblings is drained from her as she appraises Myrcella. Despite herself, she can feel herself shrinking under Arya's gaze.

"So the rumors are true." Arya says by way of greeting.

Myrcella fights the urge to look at Robb, but feels his hand on the small of her back.

"Arya, it is so wonderful to see you again. I know that my presence here must be conflicting for you but…"

"I am not conflicted in how I feel about you being here." She says, her tone like ice.

Myrcella looks into her eyes and sees the truth of that. She can feel the hatred Arya feels for her, or more accurately, her family.

"Arya." Robb warns, but now Myrcella does look at him and silences him with a smile.

She looks at the beautiful, fierce, northern girl and says, "Believe it or not, I get it. If I were you, I would hate me too".

Myrcella sees Arya open and close her mouth quickly, she hadn't expected such honesty from a Lannister.

"I can't blame you for that. I don't need you to like me, though I would love it if you could. I just need you to know three things: The first, is that I am not my family. The second, is that I am madly in love with your brother. And the third, is that regardless of how you feel about me, if you ever have need of me, I will be by your side in a moment without question or hesitation, because of the love I bear all of them, and the love they have for you."

Robb pulls him to her, his arm around her shoulders and kisses her cheek, whispering in her ear, "That's my girl."

With that, Myrcella lets him lead her into the house and she feels a weight lifted off of her. Whatever else, at least she no longer had to guess what it would be like to face Arya Stark.

He doesn't see Myrcella again until dinner. She had spent the day on her own, wanting to let them all enjoy their time with Arya without any complications. He had been sorry to see her go, missing her as he always did when they parted, but he saw the wisdom in it as he and Jon and his siblings spent the day together.

They had had a wonderful day together, full of laughter, and they had visited the Godswood together, all preferring to pray for their parents here rather than visit the crypts.

But now Robb was eager to see Myrcella, and feeling guilty that he had abandoned her. She was not in their room when he came to dress for dinner (Sansa had insisted they all dress up as though for a proper cocktail party). As he straightened his tie and grabbed his jacket he went to find her. He did not want her walking into dinner on her own, afraid of interrupting something.

He found her in the library, wearing a light pink silk dress and nude heels, her diamond earrings shimmering against the firelight. She was reading a poem out loud, an old one about a knight who sought a gift from each of the gods for his lady love.

He comes behind her, leaning down "That one ends rather sadly I'm afraid."

She turns to look at him, "How so?"

"While he is on his journey, she marries another man, tired of waiting."

"Foolish girl."

"Foolish knight."

She smiles at him and kisses his knuckles before rising. She comes and straightens his tie and his hands find her waist.

"Are you ready to tell them?" he asks, bringing her left hand to his lips and kissing her ring.

Myrcella keeps her hand wound behind Robb's back as they meet his family in the great room.

She smiles at Sansa, ladylike in a purple frock, and Jon winks at her as he throws his arm around Arya, who looks beautiful and terrifying in her black dress.

Robb clears his throat, "We have an announcement"

"Oh my god!" Sansa exclaims.

Myrcella strokes Robb's back as she can see him getting irritated with his favorite sister, "Sansa please. As I was saying. This morning I asked Myrcella to be my wife, and she has done me the incredible kindness of saying yes." With that he takes the hand that has been behind his back and pulls it forward.

Myrcella is enveloped immediately first by Sansa who is talking a mile a minute, "You have to let me plan the wedding, oh my this is so fantastic, we are going to be sisters you make him so happy". Myrcella can only hug her back and say yes to it all.

Then Jon takes her hugging her closely and says, "You'll be the loveliest bride the north has ever seen."

Then Bran pulls her to him, giving his well wishes and his promises of good fortune.

All the while Arya is hanging back, shifting nervously. Myrcella hadn't expected to be embraced by her, but even still, her heart breaks a little for Robb.

But then, Arya approaches and takes her hands in hers. She breathes deeply and looks Myrcella in her eyes. "I can't promise that I'll always be nice, or that we will be the best of friends, but all day this lot has been talking my ear off about you. It isn't unusual for one of them to be wrong, but it is unusual for them all to be. All I can say that is that I will try, and that on this, such a happy occasion, I will not damper it."

Myrcella smiles in gratitude, squeezing her hands as Robb crushes his little sister to him.

"Who knows Arya, you might even grow to like Ellie," Jon says teasing her.

Arya looks at her over Robb's shoulder and smirks, "Who knows, but something tells me we'll have time to see".

On the drive back to Wintertown the next night, Myrcella looks at Robb as they drive in silence. She takes in his strong forearms as he holds the wheel, his broad shoulders standing alert, the slight frown of concentration on his beautiful face.

She looks down at her ring, still marveling that it really happened. She feels a sense of calm whenever she looks at it.

She looks up to find him gazing at her, a small smile on his face. "I never asked if you liked it… the ring I mean."

She smiles at him, "Robb I adore it. It could be an elastic band for all I care, as long as it would mark me as your wife, but this ring is perfect and so incredibly beautiful."

She can see him breathe out, "It was the ring my father gave to my mother."

She looks down in pain, "Robb, no, one of your sisters should-"

"I'm the eldest son, Ellie, this ring is meant to be past down from Stark to Stark. They wanted me to give it to the love of my life, I think they would please that it ended up being you after all."

She smiles at that, as he takes her hand in his and raises it to his lips, his kiss to the diamond full of reverence that Ellie now more fully understands.

They drive back, discussing the weekend and the week ahead. Robb has to go away on a business trip, and Sansa has threatened to take her to every bridal shop in Wintertown until they find the perfect dress.

He keeps is tone light, but Myrcella can tells there is something further going on in his mind.

"Robb, are you alright? I mean, all things considered I think things went pretty well with Arya and –"

"No my love, it's not that, it's just something that Jon told me before we left. Apparently it's been happening for months, but slowly and randomly."

"What's been happening?" Myrcella asks, her mind immediately going to Sansa, the redheaded girl they all loved so much.

"People have been disappearing in Winterfell."


	16. Chapter 16

Robb doesn't mention it again after that one time in the car. He knows the disappearances are continuing but until he knows more he doesn't want to worry Myrcella. They're lives stay under that hazy curtain of happiness.

Sansa is working tirelessly to plan their wedding, though he knows Myrcella and he would both be just as happy with a simple ceremony in the Godswood. It is not infrequent for him to walk into a room to see magazine clippings of flower arrangements and rustic feasts, being hurried away by Sansa as Myrcella gives him a silent look of apology.

But more often then not, when he is not working or sparring with Jon, he is with Myrcella. She brings him joy in things that he had formerly found mundane. He now joins her on her weekly dinner with Barristen, and he sees the daughterly devotion she has for the old man. Robb too, finds himself turning to the old knight for guidance.

One Sunday morning, he and Myrcella lie in their bed in Winterfell. She is lying back against the pillows and he is curled on his side perpendicular to her, his head resting on her breasts, her fingers curling in his hair.

"My love," he says, nuzzling against her, comforted by the warmth radiating from her, "I don't think I can go riding again today. Jon told me he and Mormont need to speak with me before we leave. I'm sorry, can we go again next weekend?"

"Of course, Robb. I can just take a run instead, and I know that Sansa is eager to show me more table settings…" she says with a groan which makes Robb chuckle, grateful that she's the silliness in all of the planning like he does.

He turns towards her and captures her lips in his, feeling himself stir as he always does when his tongue enters his mouth.

She kisses him back, letting herself drown in him a little bit before she gently pushes him away. "Come on lazybones, we've got things to do. You've clearly got to save the world and I have to get a work out in."

"I thought you just had one" he says cockily.

She laughs and gives him a look as she gets out of bed. His eyes follow her naked body as she retrieves her clothing. As she sits on the bed clasping her bra, she feels him come up behind her and kiss her back, it makes her toes curl. His mouth comes up to her ear, and she feels his teeth graze it. She lets her head fall back against him as her lips part, a sigh escaping them. His fingers take hold of her slender neck, keeping her against him.

"Ellie, will you do me a favor?" he asks her.

"Anything" she hears herself breath out, after months of lying with him, she no longer cares how helpless she is at his touch.

"Take Grey Wind with you on your run. He'll make sure nothing happens to you."

She turns to face him smiling, she drapes her arms around his neck. "Of course I will, he's my favorite running buddy, but this this about the disappearances? When you didn't mention them again I thought they had stopped.

She sees a shadow pass over his face, but then he looks at her and his eyes crinkle as always, "I'm just being silly, my love. I just feel better knowing he is with you when I cannot be."

Though Robb ached for Myrcella the moment she left his bedroom, he was relieved to extricate himself from that particular conversation. Three weeks ago he would have said no one had anything to fear at Winterfell except frostbite. But that was before Jon had told him about the disappearances he and Mormont were noticing.

He didn't want to frighten her, or Sansa and Bran for that matter, until he knew more. But even still, there was no way he was letting Myrcella into the woods without him or a wolf by her side.

He showered and dressed quickly, and got in his car to meet Jon. Myrcella, dressed in yoga pants, a windbreaker, and sneakers, headphones in her ears and a messy bun on top of her head, blew him a kiss as she took off for the woods, Grey Wind at her side. If he didn't know any better, he could swear that Grey Wind nodded at him before he left.

It was a short drive to Mormont's house and Robb saw Jon's car in the driveway. He let himself in and nodded at Jon, who stood as he entered, a worried expression on his face. Mormont turned and nodded grimly at him, which Robb returned in kind.

"Thanks for coming, Lord Stark" Mormont said, always polite. Robb grimaced, after the war he had all but forbade anyone calling him that. He hated being reminded of his father's death and felt unfit to sit in his seat. Mormont was a good man, but a plain talker, he wasn't calling him Lord Stark out of respect. If he was calling him Lord Stark, it's because whatever he was about to tell him, would require his position as Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the North.

"How much did your father ever tell you about Northern legends?"

Robb chuckled once at the bizarre question, "Um…not much…Maester Luwin taught us our history and taught us all of the greatest fighters….and Old Nan used to tell us crazy stories to shut us up but…"

Robb is surprised when Jon is the one who speaks, "Turns out they weren't that crazy."

Robb rubs his temples, "What are you trying to say?"

Jon and Mormont share a look and Robb's heart plunges at what Mormont says next, "It's the White Walkers, Lord Stark. We think they're back."

Myrcella races through the trees, delighting in the feeling of speed. Grey Wind is a perfect running companion, he stays right by her side (though she knows that he is slowing himself for her benefit) and trots along happy but alert. Though she had thought he was being silly for suggesting it, she was grateful Robb had insisted that she bring him along.

They had been running for about an hour when they got to a stream. Across it, she saw someone laying in the grass. Grey Wind smelled it and she saw his fur raise. She forced herself to breathe normally as she made her way to the bridge, Grey Wind pressed against her side as they crossed it.

Her heart filled with dread as she saw it was a man laying on his stomach. "Sir…" she called out in vain, knowing there would be no answer. As they approached she saw Grey Wind had his teeth bared. She somehow bucked up the courage to nudge the man and gasped at how cold he was. Using more strength than she thought she had she forced herself to turn him over. She cried out when she saw him, he was unmistakably dead, his face frozen in horror. She retreated away from him as Grey Wind locked himself in front of her, now growling at the corpse.

She pulled out her earbuds and dialed Robb "Pick up pick up pick up" she said walking in circles as the phone rang.

"Myrcella" he answered in a clip tone.

"Robb, Robb! I'm sorry to bother you I know you're with Jon, but I'm with Grey Wind and…there's a body here, by the stream."

"Does it look like he was hurt? Do you recognize him?"

She hears Grey Wind growling now and turns to check if she recognized him.

"Oh my god." She said.

"What? What is it?" she could hear panic in his voice and it mirrored her own.

"Robb…he's gone…the body is gone."

"Run Myrcella! Now!"

Robb didn't know how to take what he had just heard. White Walkers were they _serious_? But he was standing in front of the two most serious men he knew, which was really saying something, and he could see the fear in their eyes.

He searched his memories for everything he ever remembered hearing about the White Walkers, but he was coming up blank. He knew they lived above the Wall but beyond that he was drawing a blank. He was about to ask how they knew when his phone rang. It was Myrcella.

"Myrcella" he heard himself say lifelessly.

"Robb, Robb! I'm sorry to bother you I know you're with Jon, but I'm with Grey Wind and…there's a body here, by the stream." He could her trying to speak calmly.

His wiped his hand across his face, thinking that it was probably some poor teenager who had gotten lost after partying with his friends. The Stark name commanded respect, but teenagers were irreverent beasts. His heart sank at the thought of having to tell the kid's parents.

"Does it look like he was hurt? Do you recognize him?" He can see Jon and Mormont more alert now, Jon was already grabbing his keys and Mormont walked towards his long sword.

"Oh my god." He heard her say, and her voice sounded like it was at the bottom of a well.

Panic seized him, "What, what is it?"

"Robb…he's gone…the body is gone." She said incredulously, as if trying to reason with her eyes. Instantaneously his memories came flooding back, stories of corpses rising from the dead, their eyes blue, and so so strong.

His heart stops as he hears himself yell, "Run Myrcella! Now!" and he races out the door.

His keys are already in the ignition and he's pealed out of the driveway, barely noticing Jon and Mormont behind him in Mormont's car. He pushes the car as fast as it can go, cursing himself the whole way.

He turns into the long driveway, seemingly on two wheels. Leaving his keys still in the car he's about to start running when he sees her, sprinting through the woods, her face pale in fear and his wolf right at her heels.

"Myrcella!" he says running now and catches her mid stride pulling her to him and hugging her fiercely before setting her down and drawing her forcefully behind him.

"Grey Wind" he says and his blessed wolf takes his place, planting himself in front of Myrcella, his chest jutted out ready to strike and his teeth bared. Myrcella wordlessly hides behind Grey Wind, her hand clenched in his fur willing him not to leave her. Without taking his eyes of them, Robb retreats as quickly as he can back to his car to get his sword.

Myrcella turns and her eyes widen when she sees it in his hands. "Robb…" she says as Mormont and Jon pull in, jumping out of the car, their swords in front of them.

"Myrcella I need you to go inside and find Bran and Sansa." He says as he sees Jon rushing to let Ghost, who had been growling and banging at the door, out. "Summer will be with them. I want you to lock the doors and not open them until you see one of us three. Bring Summer with you…he will know if it is us."

"What do you mean he'll know if it's you, I'll know it's you." She says confused.

"Myrcella please. Go. Remember what I said. I'll be back soon."

"Robb…" she says, even as she hurries to do what he told her.

He turns to her, drinking her in, and says, "I'm leaving my heart with you. Keep it safe."

And then he races into the woods, two men and two wolves close behind.

Myrcella shuts the heavy door behind her and leans against it, trying to work out the last twenty minutes. She didn't know what was going on, but whatever it was, it had three of the bravest men of the north scared.

She remembers what Robb said. Lock the door. Find Sansa and Bran. She does what he told her. Locking the front and back doors before racing through the house to find Sansa and Bran.

The first floor is empty, so she rushes up the second and immediately goes to Sansa's room. It's empty as well, but there are wet footprints on the floor so Myrcella knew she had to be close by.

"Sansa! Bran! Where are you?"

"Ellie? Ellie we are in the library."

She races into the library and catches sight of Sansa's eyes as they widen in fear, and then all she sees is fangs.

"Summer!" she hears Bran yell but the direwolf doesn't listen.

Myrcella crouches down, not in fear, but to show him that she isn't a threat. She holds her palm out, willing it not to shake and she sees Summer's lips cover his teeth as he bends to sniff her. Once he realizes it's her, he goes into overdrive, sniffing her everywhere as if checking for blood.

She let's her fingers find his fur and is comforted by his familiar hum. She sits down on the couch and he immediately curls up at her side, his head in her lap, seemingly intent on making up for his harsh greeting.

She looks into the fire, trying to steady her breath as she meets two sets of curious eyes.

Sansa approaches her slowly, like she would a doe in the meadow. "Ellie, what happened?"

"I don't know…I… was running with Grey Wind. We got to the stream and across it I saw someone lying there. We went to go see and it some poor person who had died. Grey Wind was flipping out and I..I called Robb to tell him and when I turned around the body was gone. Robb told me to run so I did. When I got back he was there with Jon and Mormont and they took off into the woods with Ghost and Grey Wind and their swords. He told me to come here and bolt the doors and find you. And then…"

"What? What did he tell you to do?" this time it was Bran asking, and he asked not out of curiosity but like a doctor asking your symptoms when he already knows the illness.

"He told me to not open the doors until one of them returned. He told me to bring Summer with me….because he would know if it was them."

"What does that even mean?" Sansa says, now clearly agitated. Summer had clearly herded her in unceremoniously, as her hair hung in wet ropes and she was covered only in a bathrobe.

"I don't know… but… Sansa…the wolves feel it. Whatever is going on. You should have seen Grey Wind, and Ghost nearly broke the door down trying to get outside. Even Summer… could sense something on me when I got back."

The Stark children stared at Summer. The wolf was curled up like a kitten with Myrcella when only moments before he seemed like he would tear her limb from limb. She saw the fear now too. The Starks had faith in their wolves, these great beasts of the north, and Myrcella could tell that it was the wolves' fear that convinced the siblings that something had gone terribly wrong in Winterfell.

Myrcella had mentioned the stream, so he took off straight for it. Grey Wind was at his side in a moment, and then cut in front of him. Wordlessly Robb followed, with Jon, Mormont and Ghost right behind.

Robb couldn't even feel terror. He was struck with relief that Myrcella was safe and a morbid curiosity, but no fear. Grey Wind came to a stop in the clearing where Robb had come with Myrcella on that first day. Robb skidded to a stop next to him as did Jon, Ghost, and Mormont, who was noticeably out of breath, but stood ready with his sword out in front of him. _By the gods, he's got to be at least 70 and he just dead sprinted a mile…no wonder they call him the Old Bear._

Robb looked all around him but didn't see anything. He looked at Jon, a wordless question and Jon shook his head no in response. The two cousins looked in each other's eyes, their jaws clenched and their heads whipped in unison as they heard their wolves let out a vicious growl.

Robb didn't see him at first, he was focused on Grey Wind. But suddenly he saw the game master's son standing a few feet from their group. His skin looked like stone, and his eyes were unnaturally blue. His gaze chilled Robb to his core.

He made a step towards the group and the wolves lunged. He fought them savagely, he even heard Grey Wind whimper as he delivered a kick to his gut.

Jon and Robb lunged forward in unison. Their swords attacking him on either side. The boy, unnaturally strong beat Jon's sword out of his hand. Robb took advantage and plunged his sword into the boy's stomach. Calmly the boy looked down and pulled the sword out of his gut, and tossed it to the ground.

He turned to Robb, no sense of recognition visible in his features and went to grab him, but Grey Wind and Ghost had recovered and raced in front of him. As the boy leaned to grab hold of Grey Wind, Robb saw first the icy blue flicker out of his eyes and only then did he see Mormont's sword through the boy's heart.

As the boy collapsed to his knees, Mormont took no chances and severed his head from his body.

Robb stood in wonder and saw his expression mirrored in Jon's. Only the old man remained moving. Gruffly he said, "Grab his arms and legs, I've got the head."

"Are we going to bury him?" Jon asked incredulously.

"No…we're going to burn him." Robb heard himself answer.

It felt like it had been hours since Robb had left. She sat in the library with Bran and Sansa as if they were holding a vigil, and for all they knew, they were. She resigned herself to sitting and waiting. _A woman's war_ , she thought, the phrase entering her mind without ceremony.

Now Myrcella's mind drifted, as she remembered sitting with her grandmother, her father's mother, as a girl. Myrcella had asked her how her father was king, when her grandfather had only been a lord. Her grandmother told her the story of their family history. Had told her that through the line of Rhaelle Targaryen, Robert was royal. She then muttered something under her breath about how Robert hadn't cared a bit for his claim until the Stark girl was taken. But then she told Myrcella about the battles her father had fought and won, with the help of the loyal Ned Stark. She told Myrcella how the villages became like hen houses, with all the men in war. Myrcella remembers asking her grandmother what she did during the war and her grandmother replied "I, with my sisters in combat, fought my own war. Waiting, is a woman's war, and it cuts deep like knives and weakens you as quick as starvation."

Myrcella hadn't thought about her grandmother in a long time. She died before her father did, a mercy that. She could hardly picture her now, but could remember the way she spoke to her mother rarely and in clipped tones, and how she was the only who could shame her father. But with Myrcella she had always been warm and strong, spending hours teaching her how to knit and cook. Her mother had balked at that, a princess making stew. But her grandmother had rolled her eyes and said to Myrcella, "The problem with your mother and her family is that they look at wealth like an accomplishment, even when they were born into it. They don't account for a reversal of fortunes. But you, my dear, though you'll be a beautiful princess, and a wealthy one too, will be a woman of substance if I have anything to say about it."

She was shaken out of her memories as Summer jumped over the back of the couch and ran, growling down the stairs. Sansa and Myrcella followed, while Bran went to the large dumbwaiter to let himself down.

Summer was barking at the door and Myrcella peered through the window seeing three men walking towards them.

"It's them!" she said to Sansa.

Sansa had tears in her eyes when she went to unlock the door. "Don't!" Myrcella heard herself shout.

"Myrcella you just said it was them."

"Sansa, he told me not to unlock it _until Summer could tell if it was them_ "

"Myrcella, I love you, but you're acting crazy – we see them, it's them."

Myrcella found herself wavering, wanting to agree with Sansa. _I'm leaving my heart with you. Keep it safe._

"No. Not until we're sure. This is the last thing Robb asked me to do. I don't understand it, but I will honor it."

Sansa's mouth twitched, her retort dying in her throat. Instead she took Myrcella's hand and they waited. Neither making a sound.

They jumped when they heard his voice, "Myrcella? Sansa? Bran? Are you alright? Are you in there?"

Timidly, she asked "Robb?"

"Yes my love, it's me, it's alright. We're safe, we're all safe."

Wordlessly, the two girls looked at the direwolf. Summer looked back at them, his tail thumping and cocked his head at them, and a hysterical giggle erupted from both of them.

Myrcella forced the lock open, opening the door and was nearly knocked off her feet with the force of Robb's embrace. Her cheek pressed against his, and he smelled like sweat and fire but she didn't care because he was here and for a brief moment her war was over.

Hi all - I don't think I am going to keep posting here! I can't really tell if anyone is reading it, but the same story is AO3.


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